


Family Portrait

by Permanently_unavailable



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Celeb Clarke, Clexa Endgame, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, G!p Lexa, No deaths!, Slow Burn, Some Flashbacks, Teen Pregnancy, clexa baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-02 11:54:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8666500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Permanently_unavailable/pseuds/Permanently_unavailable
Summary: One announcement can change a person’s whole life, some for the better some for worse.
When they were sixteen and Clarke told Lexa she was pregnant with her child was one of those announcements. 
When they were nineteen and Clarke told Lexa she was going to try out on a talent show was another one. 
But it’s the announcement Clarke receives when she is fast approaching her twenty seventh birthday that really changes Clarke’s world and makes her re-evaluate her life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to my LDPS (long distance platonic soulmate) kickangel_d for proof reading and generally being there while I've moaned about this story! <3 ya!

Lexa stood at the kitchen counter in her home and watched carefully as she poured milk in to a bowl of muesli that was placed in front of her. When she had poured the “correct” amount of milk in to the bowl, _“not too much to drown it, but enough to cover the top”,_ she reached for the milk carton’s lid and quickly twisted it tightly in place to make sure the lid was on securely. Carrying the carton of milk, she quickly strode to the refrigerator, opened the door and placed the milk inside. Reaching up to the cupboard that was next to the fridge, Lexa opened the cupboard door and picked out a glass while pulling orange juice from out of the fridge. She placed the glass on the kitchen counter, closed the cupboard door then opened the lid of the orange juice and began pouring the lumpy liquid in to the glass.

_“The lumps make me strong!”_ popped in to Lexa’s head as she grimaced at the now full glass.

 Placing the orange juice back in to the fridge, Lexa closed the door with her right hand while picking up the glass of orange juice with her left. Lexa walked back to where the bowl of muesli was and scooped it up in her right hand while reaching with her left to open the cutlery drawer and plucked out a spoon using two fingers, trying carefully not to spill any of the orange juice from the glass in her hand. With a glass, spoon and bowl occupying her hands Lexa used her hip to close the cutlery drawer then walked over to the fruit basket placed on the kitchen island.  Bending down at the waist, Lexa grabbed the last banana in the basket between her teeth then stood up straight and headed to the archway that led to the dining area in the next room. As she walked to the next room Lexa mentally applauded herself for her multi-tasking skills. When she reached the dining room table she let the banana in her mouth drop to the table’s surface then placed the bowl, glass and spoon down next to the piece of fruit. Nodding in approval at the meal laid out on the table before her, Lexa let a small smile pull at her lips.

_“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”_ she was reminded as she looked down at the food on the table.

Any other nine year old would ask for pancakes or some sugary cereal for breakfast, but not Aden. No, her son liked having a healthy diet and only occasionally let himself be treated to junk food. It was one of the many characteristics he had picked up from his Mom.

Shaking her head, Lexa quickly glanced at her watch and sighed. If they didn’t hurry they were going to be late to school and work. Usually Lexa was punctual and never ran late, yet every Monday morning she found herself in the same predicament. Late! Another thing Aden had picked up from his Mom.

Lexa quickly strode out of the dining room and headed towards the foyer at the front of the house. Reaching her destination in a matter of seconds, Lexa looked up the curved staircase and listened, hearing no movement from upstairs Lexa shook her head.

“Aden!” she shouted.

“Get a move on or we’re going to be late! Breakfast is ready”.

Listening to the sudden noise created by, with the sounds of things, rushing boy, Lexa laughed softly.

“Coming Momma” Aden replied while suddenly appearing at the top of the staircase with a cheeky smile and flushed cheeks.

Dressed in blue ripped jeans, a white button up shirt, converse with holes on his feet and a grey beanie on his head, Lexa chuckled amusedly. Aden’s fashion sense was a, sometimes strange, mixture between her own and his Mom’s.

“Breakfast, and hurry you have fifteen minutes” Lexa said while pointing towards the dining area doorway.

Aden grinned and rushed down the staircase, passed Lexa who was standing at the bottom, and practically skipped towards the dining room.

“I’ll be finished in ten, Momma” he replied confidently.

 

A spilt glass of juice, half eaten banana, an inhaled bowl of muesli and twenty minutes later, Lexa and Aden fastened their seatbelts and set off on their ten minute drive to Aden’s school. With the stereo set to Aden’s preferred radio station and the boy enthralled by the phone in his hands, Lexa concentrated on the Monday morning traffic while listening to the chart hits. Aden hummed tunelessly along to the song playing, making Lexa bite her bottom lip to try and stifle the laugh that threatened to burst out of her mouth. Aden’s lack of vocal talent had definitely been inherited from her. Five minutes in to their drive the current song ended and was replaced by the sound of the host’s voice. Lexa listened with half an ear as the man droned on about what he deemed as important news.

“…and now with some breaking news! Pop Princess, Clarke Griffin was…”.

Aden’s head snapped up at the mention of Clarke’s name, his phone all of a sudden holding no interest for him. As quickly as Aden’s head had snapped up, Lexa’s right hand had shot off of the steering wheel and pressed the button to change the radio to another station, she then swiftly placed her hand back on to the steering wheel. Lexa avoided looking at her son, who she could see from the corner of her eye was staring at the side of her head with a hint of sadness in his eyes at her actions. Shaking off Aden’s disappointment, Lexa’s eyes strayed to the diamond, sparkling in the morning sun, which sat on the ring finger of her left hand. Her hands tightened around the steering wheel and twisted as she stared at the ring on her finger. Dragging her eyes away from her hand, Lexa forced her attention back on the road and away from possible thoughts on the ring on her finger and from her son who was still watching her. Lexa inhaled deeply then let it out in a long sigh. She glanced quickly at Aden and gave him a small, tight smile then turned back towards the car in front of them. She ran her tongue along the front of her upper teeth then twitched her jaw to the right in a nervous habit.

“Don’t forget your…” she started to say, but was interrupted by Aden who once again sat with his head down looking at his phone.

“… Mom is picking me up after school” he finished for Lexa.

“I know, Momma” he added.

Lexa sighed and nodded, she reminded him every Monday morning even though she knew Aden knew his Mom would be picking him up from school. For the rest of their journey they drove without saying a word to each other and listened to the radio.

Once Lexa had reached Aden’s school and parked in the drop off zone, Aden quickly unfastened his seatbelt and reached for his school bag that was lying on the floor in front of him. With his bag in his hand, Aden sat up and leaned across the gear shift to place a wet kiss on to Lexa’s cheek not caring that any of his class mates could see him kissing her goodbye and possibly tease him for it. His courage, Lexa liked to think, was inherited from her. Lexa chuckled at her son as he leaned back and grinned at her.

“Go on before you’re late” Lexa laughed.

The boy quickly opened the car door, stepped out and shouldered his school bag. Before he closed the door Aden ducked his head back inside the car.

“Love you, Momma” he said.

Lexa felt her heart melt at the words, like it did every time he said the words since he learned how to talk.

“I love you too, Kid” she replied with a soft smile, making Aden beam in response.

Suddenly Lexa was hit with a gust of cold air and a thud from the car door being slammed shut in her face.

“Bye then” Lexa grumbled as she watched Aden race towards the entrance of his school and vanish from her sight without looking back at her car.

With a shake of her head and a sad smile, Lexa indicated to pull away from Aden’s school and made her way to work praying she didn’t hit any traffic that would make her later then she already was. 

 

 

XXX

 

Later that day, Clarke parked her car in the pickup zone in front of the school. She knew she wasn’t supposed to, that by doing so she was breaking the school’s rules. But, she didn’t care! She hadn’t seen her baby in two weeks because of her work schedule and nothing was going to stop her from holding her son the second she saw him. The instant her plane had touched down, a little over three hours earlier, she had wanted to head straight over to the school and make an excuse to pull her son from school so she could see him sooner. Sure she texted him constantly while she was away, they face timed and skyped everyday but it wasn’t the same. Nothing in this world beat having her boy in her arms.

With an excited smile plastered on her face, Clarke climbed out of her car when she heard the bell ringing inside of the school that signalled the end of the school day. She quickly walked towards the pavement and stood beside her car and waited for the school doors to open. She ignored the stares she could feel coming from the cars around her own and reached up to pull down the aviators that were placed on her head, holding back her hair from her face and placed them over her eyes. She was used to the staring, it didn’t faze her any more, but this was a private moment and she felt better with the sun glasses shielding her eyes.

Suddenly the school doors burst open and child after child poured out of the doors with smiles stretched across their faces over the fact that school had finished for the day. A few of the children looked then looked again when they saw Clarke then ran away. With her left leg twitching nervously, Clarke scanned the faces of the children around her, searching for the one that belonged to her own. When her eyes landed on her son, tears welled up with emotion at the ecstatic expression on his face at seeing her standing in front of his school.

“Mom!” he shouted and ran towards Clarke, flinging himself in to her arms when he reached her.

“Aden” Clarke whispered with a sigh full of love.

Clarke wrapped her arms around Aden’s shoulders while his arms wrapped around her waist. She leaned down and placed her cheek on the top of his head, she didn’t need Aden to tell her how much he had missed her while she had been away, she could feel it in how tightly he held on to her as his peers rushed around them trying to get to their own parents. When one of the rushing children accidently bumped in to the hugging mother and son, Clarke reluctantly let go of Aden and pulled her sun glasses off of her face then placed them back on to the top of her head. Using both of her hands she tilted Aden’s head back so she could look down at his beaming face.

“You’ve grown so tall” she exclaimed with eyes shining with love.

Aden laughed and shook his head.

“You say that every time” he chuckled.

“Well its true” Clarke replied, enjoying their familiar routine they had when she returned home.

While gazing at Aden, Clarke swept his wheat coloured hair to the side of his face so she could look in to his eyes and made a mental reminder to take him for a trim.

“Come on, we better move our butts before we get in to trouble” Clarke said making Aden giggle.

Together they quickly walked towards Clarke’s parked car and climbed inside once she had unlocked the doors, they simultaneously pulled their seatbelts across their chests and clicked them safely in place and grinned amusedly at each other. It still shocked Clarke sometimes how in sync she and her son were, even when she had to leave for weeks at a time as soon as she returned they clicked straight back to their normal routine as if no time had passed by. It pleased Clarke immensely; it showed that Aden wasn’t affected negatively by her long periods of absence, even though he didn’t like it when she had to leave.

Pulling her sun glasses down with one hand, Clarke started the car with the other and swiftly pulled away from Aden’s school to head home.

“Come on, spill. Tell me everything you’ve done while I’ve been away” Clarke urged, even though she no doubt knew everything already from their daily communication.

But Aden did as his Mom asked and began to tell her everything he could remember, from what he ate to the new game he had. He told Clarke about drama rehearsals and his part in the school play, which Clarke knew he was playing one of the leads and felt pride swell in her chest and he told her again. He told her how he had choreographed a new dance routine the week before. Aden’s creative side in dance and other forms of artistry was certainly inherited from Clarke. 

When Aden had finished telling Clarke about his life while she was away, Clarke asked the same question she asked him every Monday afternoon when she picked him up from school.

“How’s your Momma?”

When she received no reply she glanced sideways at Aden, who now seemed to be practically bouncing in his seat, Clarke couldn’t tell from his expression whether it was from excitement or nerves. Pulling her attention back to the cars and traffic on the road in front of her, Clarke frowned. She slowed down her car to a stop as she approached a red light and pulled up her hand break, she turned to look at Aden again.

“Aden?” she asked, feeling slightly confused at his continued silence.

Aden chewed on his lower lip, which immediately made Clarke think of the woman she had asked about, while still bouncing in his sear. Clarke quickly glanced away to check the traffic lights then arched her brow questioningly at Aden. When she still received no answer Clarke began to worry. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the traffic light switch to amber then green, she slowly accelerated her car and began driving again. They hadn’t even moved a hundred yard before Aden finally blurted out his reply to her question.

“Momma’s getting married!” he said quickly, like he was ripping a band aid from a wound.

Clarke’s foot stomped on the brake causing Aden and herself to jerk forward in their seats as cars swerved around them beeping their horns and making rude gestures at Clarke over her abrupt stop. Clarke’s jaw dropped as blood rushed in her ears causing white noise to cancel out the other cars around then. Her hands clenched and twisted around the steering wheel in front of her as the words “Momma’s getting married” screamed at her in her head. Her heart thudded in her chest as her stomach rolled in protest, her lungs heaved rapidly in her chest as she tried to suck oxygen into her lungs yet she didn’t seem to be able to inhale enough to calm her.

“Momma’s getting married”, “Momma’s getting married” repeated in Clarkes mind again and again.

“Momma’s getting married!”

Momma.

Meaning Lexa, was getting married.

_Her Lexa. Her wife, Lexa. Getting married!_ Clarke shook her head at that thought.

Her ex-wife, Lexa. Getting married.


	2. Chapter 2

Clarke felt like she had been sucker punched in the gut. Only a few seconds had passed by since Aden’s announcement, yet Clarke felt like she had aged lifetimes as she sat stunned in her seat. With her mouth hanging open, Clarke stared vacantly out of the windscreen. The cars driving by were nothing but blurs of colour, Aden’s voice nothing but a buzzing sound in her ears. Feeling her hands begin to shake Clarke tightened her grip on the steering wheel in front of her and gave it a rough, quick jerk while snapping her mouth shut. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest feeling like it was trying to escape from its place in her body, her lungs tried to pull oxygen from the outside in but all Clarke could manage were quick, short breaths through her flaring nostrils. Aden’s words wouldn’t stop screaming at her.

“Momma’s getting married!”

Clarke blinked rapidly to try and stop the tears that flooded her eyes from spilling over and down her cheeks. She had never being as grateful, as she was at that moment, to be wearing sunglasses. Clarke could feel the shaking that had started in her hands travel quickly up her arms, towards her shoulders then quickly through her whole body. She knew that she was in shock and that she needed to try and calm down, yet her mind refused to let go of the three words she thought she would never have to hear.

“Mom!” Aden said apprehensively, while leaning forward to try and grab Clarke’s attention but Clarke’s mind would not register her son’s voice.

Memories from her past flashed through Clarke’s mind in snapshot moments.

_“I love you”_

_“… till death do us part…”_

_“When we’re old and grey and you can’t feed yourself, I’ll still be madly in love with you”_

_“… you’ll never get rid of me now Mrs Griffin-Woods…”_

Suddenly Clarke was snapped away from her memories by the blaring of a car’s horn as it over took her stalled car. In a daze, Clarke followed the movement of the car with her head as it passed by her window then drove away in front of her and from her sight.

“Mom, please. We have to move” Aden’s panic stricken voice fought its way sluggishly in to Clarke’s bogged mind and pulled her reluctantly back to the present.

Clarke turned her head to look at Aden, whose wide eyes were filled with worry. She watched as the boy’s mouth moved but still couldn’t really hear him over the white noise in her ears. Knowing she had to listen to what Aden was saying, Clarke shook her head quickly trying to clear her mind and focus on her son. She turned in her seat while letting her hands fall from the steering wheel and faced Aden.

“Wh…what?” Clarke stammered.

“Are you ok, Mom?” Aden worriedly asked again.

Clarke nodded in reply to Aden’s question.

“I’m ok, sweetie” she said trying to reassure him, but with the disbelieving frown that appeared on the boy’s face Clarke knew that she hadn’t been successful.

Clarke inhaled deeply through her nose, while flattening and pressing her lips together, and then slowly let the breath out. She lifted her left hand from her lap and ran it through her hair before letting it drop again.

“I’m gonna be fine” she amended, using a firmer voice then she had before.

Aden scrutinised Clarke’s features slowly to see if she was telling the truth, once again Clarke was grateful for the sunglasses shielding her eyes from the boy’s view and hiding the tears that were brimming there. Clarke waited patiently as Aden watched her then sighed in relief when his frown eased from his face and cautiously nodded his head. As the duo sat looking at each other another car whizzed by them, the driver blaring their horn in protest to the fact that Clarke was still parked in the middle of the road. Clarke sighed while turning in her seat to sit facing forward and placed her hands back on the steering wheel.

“We should move and drive home, we can’t be sitting here all evening can we?” she said light heartedly, trying to ease some of the tension that had gripped her body.

Aden nodded his agreement but didn’t move his eyes away from Clarke’s face. With a deep breath to try and calm her still racing heart, Clarke checked her mirrors to make sure it was safe to drive before she started her car and slowly accelerated to continue the drive home all the while trying to ignore the tremors in her hands.

 

 

When they eventually reached the gated walls of their home, Clarke slowed to a stop while reaching up to press the button that would open the huge gate that was before them. As the gate glided to the right and created enough space for Clarke’s car to pass, she began the short drive up to the house and then parked in her usual spot at the front of their home. Clarke pulled the keys from the ignition while opening the car door and quickly climbed out then shut the door with a slam behind her. As she walked around the front of the car, she watched Aden as he closed his own door then made his way over to her and stood in front of her, halting her walk to their front door. Clarke looked down at her son and smiled softly at him as he looked up questioningly at her.

For the rest of their drive home neither of them had spoken a word, Aden seemed to understand that his Mom needed some time to deal with her emotions while Clarke could only focus on getting them home quickly so she could have a few moments to herself to try and process what Aden had told her.

But now Aden needed some reassurance that his Mom was ok. Clarke pulled her sunglasses from her eyes then hooked them in to the collar of her T-shirt; she hoped that her eyes weren’t too red from holding back her tears and let Aden really look at her. When he immediately began to frown Clarke raised her hands and cupped Aden’s cheeks.

“I am going to be ok, sweetie” she said slowly with as much sincerity she could muster with all the emotions that were running through her.

She gazed in to Aden’s eyes while giving him a small, reassuring smile and stroked her thumbs across his cheeks.

“We’ll talk about it at dinner, ok” she told him.

Aden wrapped his arms around Clarke’s waist and gave her a quick hug while nodding his agreement. Clarke swiped Aden’s hair from his face then leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead.

“Let’s go inside. You, no doubt, have homework you should be doing” At Aden’s answering groan Clarke chuckled.

“Thought so. What do you say to take out for dinner huh? Treat ourselves with some junk?” she asked with a mischievous smile.

Aden’s face scrunched up in contemplation then nodded once.

“Yeah, I think we deserve it” he said making Clarke chuckle again.

Once Clarke had unlocked the front door and disabled the house alarm, Aden gave Clarke a quick searching look before running up the staircase to do his homework in his bedroom. When Aden was out of Clarke’s sight she finally gave in to the emotions that were rushing through her and a sob broke from her mouth as her shoulders slumped in defeat. On trembling legs, Clarke made her way across the foyer and entered the sunken living room then made her way to the couch. When she reached the couch she sat down and bent over, with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands Clarke finally let a few tears slip down her cheeks. She felt a heaviness settle in her stomach, and an ache grew in her chest then spread through as she sat on the couch.

_Lexa’s getting married_ , she thought while shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

After a few minutes of silently crying, Clarke groaned and sat up straight while wiping away the lingering wetness on her face. She looked around the room she was sat in and took in all of the material possessions surrounding her, from the TV that covered nearly an entire wall to the opulent seating she was currently sat on that filled most the room. Her house was nice, not a mansion but extravagant none the less with its four bedrooms, five bathrooms, Olympic sized swimming pool and home cinema, as well as a private gym. She thought of all the other things she had too, the cars, jewellery, properties in other countries, her full closets, the screaming fans who adored her as if she was a goddess and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that none of it compared to the worth of what she had lost. Fame and money came with a price and Clarke thought she had already paid that price, a price that had ripped her whole world apart and devastated her while shattering her heart and soul in to a million tiny pieces. Yet Aden’s announcement proved that she was still paying her dues, her pay out would always outweigh her gains and as Clarke took stock of everything around her she wanted to laugh at how fucked up her life was. People would say she had nothing to complain about, that she lived a life others could only dream of! And Clarke knew that but as she sat on her couch in her big house, trying to process the fact that Lexa was engaged to another woman, she wanted nothing more than to go back in time and scream at her younger self for her stupidity. Knowing she had no one to blame but herself for the way things had happened, Clarke pushed herself up from her seat and went in search of the take out menus. The only way she was going to be able to process anything about Lexa’s engagement was by getting as much information as she could, which meant she had to suck it up, get a hold of her feelings and talk to Aden.

Another short emotional outburst, a cheeky glass of wine and nearly two hours later, Clarke sat slouched on the couch next to Aden and was digging around in her sweet and sour pork with her chop sticks. She had yet to eat any of her dinner, she really couldn’t bring herself to put the food in her mouth, her stomach was still churning and she didn’t want to risk anything she ate re-emerging. With a glance at Aden, she watched as he shovelled food in to his mouth then chewed quickly before swallowing. Clarke nibbled on her upper lip while she tried to think of a way to start the conversation she needed to have with her son.

“So…” Clarke said in barely a whisper.

Aden turned his head to look at his Mom with a raised eyebrow.

“Your Momma…” Clarke paused to clear her throat then inhaled deeply.

“Getting married huh?” she asked in a rush of words.

Aden’s other brow raised to join its twin in mild surprise at how Clarke had started their conversation. He knew how difficult the talk was going to be for Clarke, she never hid from him how she felt about his other mother which was why he had hesitated in the car at telling her the news. Clarke always acted strong in front of him no matter what, yet as they sat on the couch eating their dinner Aden saw Clarke at her most vulnerable and it surprised him to see him Mom like that.

“Yeah” he quietly replied while watching Clarke closely.

Clarke nodded and started to chew on her upper lip again. Seeing Clarke struggling for words Aden decided to help Clarke out and took the reins of the conversation.

“It happened Saturday night” he said.

As Aden spoke, Clarke sat up in her seat and nodded encouragingly at him to continue. Leaning forward Aden placed his box of noodles on the coffee table in front of them then sat back and turned his body so he was facing Clarke with his legs crossed.

“It was weird” he said with a frown.

“Momma told me we had to have dinner with her boss but when we got to the restaurant GeeGee, Pops, Uncle Lincoln and Aunt Anya were there too!” Aden said quickly warming up to telling his Mom all about what had happened Saturday night.

“Momma’s boss was there with his wife and Costia” Aden added.

Clarke frowned at the name and tried to think if she had heard Aden mention the name before but came up empty, it was certainly a name she would remember.

“Costia?” she asked curiously.

“She’s Momma’s boss’s daughter. I only met her once before, she came to Momma’s house one weekend because she had forgotten something at Momma’s house and she introduced herself even though Momma tried to stop her and made her leave”

Clarke’s frown deepened while she leaned forward and placed her own box of food on to the coffee table, as she leaned back Clarke half turned so she could see Aden better.

“Your Momma didn’t want to introduce you two?” she asked already knowing that this Costia woman was going to turn out to be Lexa’s fiancée.

Aden shook his head no.

“She seemed mad that Costia talked to me” he admitted with a shrug.

Clarke’s face scrunched up in confusion as she looked at her son.

“Ok, so she was there at dinner with your grandparents and Anya and Lincoln?” Clarke said trying to direct the conversation back to their original subject.

“Hmm mm” Aden agreed.

“It was a surprise! Momma introduced them to Costia and her parents when we all sat down, GeeGee and Pops didn’t know why they were there like me and Momma..”

“Momma and I” Clarke corrected”

“Like Momma and I. Momma asked her boss but Costia said we’d all find out soon enough. We had dinner on those big plates with the small food like they do at those fancy places ya know?” He asked Clarke who nodded that she understood what he meant.

“They talked about work a lot which was boring, and then Aunt Anya asked Momma if she had got another promotion but Costia and her Dad laughed at that. Then we had dessert and that’s when Costia did that thing they do in the movies and on TV where they hit the glass with their knife…”

_What a fucking cliché_ , Clarke thought. By this point Clarke had already guessed what happened next and tried to steel herself for what Aden was about to say.

“… and everyone in the place turned to look at her! I asked Momma what Costia was doing but she said she didn’t know. Then Costia talked to Momma about work, something about them been the same and stuff…”

“Costia’s a lawyer too?” Clarke asked interrupting Aden.

“Guess so” he answered with a shrug.

Clarke fought the urge to roll her eyes at the lack of information Aden was providing, she wanted to know everything about the woman who was taking her place by Lexa’s side. She knew grilling her son for details on his Momma’s new partner was morally questionable but she told herself it was for a good cause, her sanity.

“Any way Costia talked some more and I heard Aunt Anya curse and then Costia pulled out a ring from her pocket and asked Momma to marry her” Aden finished in a rush of words.

Clarke stared at Aden and waited for him to continue telling her what had happened when she realised he had finished his story.

“And then what?” Clarke asked with an exasperated shake of her head.

Aden frowned in confusion at Clarke’s question.

“And now Momma’s getting married” he replied carefully not understanding what Clarke was asking.

This time Clarke didn’t hold back the roll of her eyes.

_Kids_ , she thought.

“Did Momma cry? What did she say to Costia’s proposal? What did the rest of the family say and do? What happened next?” Clarke rapidly fired her questions at the boy.

“GeeGee and Pops didn’t do anything, they just stared at Momma. Uncle Lincoln did the same but Aunt Anya kept shaking her head, I don’t know why though”.

Clarke nodded along as Aden spoke while silently willing him to get to the part that she really wanted to know about. Lexa’s reaction! It all seemed quite strange to Clarke, she knew how close Lexa was to her parents, Indra and Gustus. She was also close to her siblings and for them to not even know Costia before the woman proposed didn’t sound like something, the Lexa she knew, would do.

“And Momma...”

Clarke roused herself from her thoughts to concentrate on what Aden was saying.

“She didn’t really do anything, her mouth kept moving but she didn’t say anything, like this” Aden began to demonstrate what Lexa had done by opening and closing his mouth like a fish does when it is out of water.

It made Clarke chuckle to imagine the usually well composed woman doing such a thing.

“I laughed too” Aden said gleefully at hearing his Mom’s soft laugh.

“And then?” Clarke asked.

“Momma nodded and let Costia put the ring on her finger” Aden answered.

Clarke stared at Aden with a “come on” expression and spread her hands out with the palms raised.

Aden shrugged at Clarke’s gesture.

“Seriously that’s the end” Aden told her making Clarke frown in response.

“Momma and I went home and I don’t know where the others went” he added.

Clarke sat up straight at Aden’s words, a small smile pulling at her lips.

“You went home alone? Just the two of you?” she asked.

“Yup, we watched a movie” Aden replied.

Clarke slouched back in her seat and pondered over Aden’s story, while the boy reached for his dinner again. None of it made sense to Clarke, to not even be introduced to someone’s parents and child before a proposal didn’t sound like a serious relationship to her. In fact it didn’t seem like a relationship at all, especially with Lexa not wanting Costia to talk to him while she was at Lexa’s house. Yet if that was the case why had Lexa agreed to marry the woman? Clarke picked apart Aden’s story trying to make it all add up in her head so she could come to some sort of understanding over the fact that Lexa was marrying someone else, but Aden’s next words halted her thoughts and confused her even more.

“Momma didn’t even kiss Costia goodbye”.

 

 

XXX

 

The next day, Lexa sat at her desk in her office going over a new case file that had landed on her desk that morning. Working as an environmental lawyer was trying at times, having to deal with big companies who thought they could do as they pleased with no consequences infuriated Lexa, so every case that crossed her desk was given Lexa’s full attention and when she won a case she truly felt like she had made a difference in the world.

Lexa read the file in front of her while eating a sandwich her assistant, Titus, had gotten her for lunch while planning the way she was going to work the case.  As she read she was distracted by muffled voices coming through her office door, when the voices became louder and sounded as if they were coming towards her office Lexa frowned and went to place her sandwich on the top of her desk and see what was going on outside of her office. Suddenly her office door was thrust open and Titus’s shrill voice filled the room.

“You can’t go in there!”

“Watch me” followed Titus’s objection.

Lexa sighed and threw the rest of her sandwich on her desk when she heard her sister’s voice. She had been expecting a phone call or text from Anya after what had occurred Saturday night, but when Monday passed by with no word from her sister Lexa had felt relieved and thought that maybe Anya had decided to keep her opinion to herself for once. No such luck! Anya waltzed in to her office like she owned the place while slamming the door shut in Titus’s face.

“Idiot” Anya muttered as she made her way to the chairs placed in front of Lexa’s desk then flung herself in to one.

“You would think you were important with how the guard dog acts” Anya said while pointing her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of where she had left Titus standing.

Lexa sighed and shook her head.

“I’m at work Anya” she stated as if Anya didn’t already know that.

Anya leaned back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other and folded her arms across her chest.

“I’m aware, you’re lucky I gave you a reprieve day. If it wasn’t Monday I would have been here yesterday, but I know you need your space when you drop the kid off” Anya stated.

Lexa dipped her head in gratitude at Anya. Her sister was right, she found Monday’s extremely hard after dropping Aden off at school knowing that she wasn’t going to see him again until Friday afternoon, and it was even harder for her after he had stayed with her for weeks at a time to then go home to an empty house that night. She spent her Monday’s brooding and she was grateful that her family understood and left her to deal with the loss each week. But after Saturday she had thought she wouldn’t have been given her usual space.

Anya added no more to the conversation; instead the two women sat staring at each other from across Lexa’s desk, tension seemed to suddenly fill the room creating an explosive atmosphere that could blow at any second but Lexa refused to look away first from Anya’s probing stare. She knew what Anya was about to say, she had thought the exact same thing since Saturday, but she was never going to admit it to her sister, she was too proud and stubborn to admit when she had made a mistake.

The seconds ticked by on the clock on Lexa’s wall, they both continued to sit and stare at each other. Lexa raised her chin in defiance while Anya scowled back at her.

“What the fuck, Lexa!” Anya finally caved, surprising Lexa with her sudden outburst.

Anya unfolded her arms and let her leg drop to the floor then spread her hands out in an angry, confrontational gesture. Lexa felt her jaw tick to the side at Anya’s challenging behaviour but didn’t reply to her sister’s outburst.

“Seriously!” Anya continued

“We want to know what the hell is going on!”

Lexa raised her brow at Anya’s use of the word “we”.

“ _We_?” she questioned.

“Yes, we! Mom, Dad, Linc. Ya know, your family! We want to know how we ended up at a proposal dinner when we didn’t even know you were dating someone!” Anya practically shouted.

_And there it is_ , Lexa thought now that Anya had finally gotten what she had come to say off of her chest.

Lexa didn’t know how to answer Anya, truth be told she couldn’t even remember saying yes to the proposal! She had been in shock from the second she had walked into the restaurant and seen her family sat at the table with Costia and her parents. She had wanted to take Aden and run feeling that nothing good was about to come from this meeting of families, but ever the professional, with a sinking feeling in her stomach, she had sat down and introduced everyone. She had listened all through dinner, as the woman she thought was a casual thing tried to charm her family and then stunned them all by proposing. As Costia had asked Lexa to marry her images of blue eyes and blonde hair, that she usually tried to avoid thinking about, flooded her mind. The next thing she knew a ring was been slid on to her finger and the other patrons in the place where applauding and congratulating them. She had never felt such a strong need to run as she did when her boss, Costia’s father, had patted her on the back and welcomed her to the family. ‘

“Well?” Anya snapped, bringing Lexa’s focus back to her and away from the weekend.

“I knew you had a regular woman who you were dipping it in to bu…”

“Jesus, Anya!” Lexa exclaimed with a grimace.

“Dipping it in? Could you try and not be so crude” she said.

“Oh, I’m sorry prude. Do you guys make love?” Anya asked sarcastically.

Lexa rolled her eyes in reply and chose to ignore what Anya had asked. Realising she wasn’t going to get an answer; Anya leaned forward with a sigh and placed her elbows on her knees then linked her hands together.

“Please, Lexa. Try and make this make some sense” Anya said pleadingly.

Lexa felt a wave of guilt sweep through her at her sister’s words but how could she tell Anya that she didn’t have an answer. That she hadn’t really processed the fact that she was engaged to a woman she barely knew.

“Even the kid had no idea who she was” Anya stated.

At the mention of Aden, Lexa stiffened in her chair.

“What do you want to hear Anya?” Lexa asked.

“I was as surprised as you all were. Costia and I have been seeing each other for a few months, and I admit that I didn’t think we were anything more than a casual thing, but clearly Costia thinks we have a serious future together”

Anya scoffed at Lexa and shook her head.

“Right, having the same work ethic and being called compatible screams true love” Anya mocked.

Lexa couldn’t remember Costia saying those words but they were true. They had the same drive to win and were highly ambitious, when they did spend time together work dominated their conversations so it was only natural, to Lexa, that Costia would see that as a reason to want to marry her.

“Who says that a marriage can prosper from work ethic and lifestyle compatibility? What kind of proposal is that? She didn’t once mention love” Anya stated.

For the first time since Anya entered her office Lexa averted her eyes from her sister. Anya knew that love was a sore subject for Lexa; she refused to give it any thought believing that love for anyone other than family left her weak and after her divorce she had vowed that she would never put herself in the position where another person had the ability to break her as she had before. Looking back at Anya, Lexa shrugged.

“People marry for less than compatibility” Lexa said.

Anya sat back in her chair and shook her head.

“That’s true, Lexa. People have and do, what I don’t understand is how you can go from what you had to what Costia is offering you”

Lexa straightened in her chair while baring her teeth at Anya like a cornered animal.

“Don’t. Go. There” she snarled in warning.

Watching Lexa’s reaction to anything alluding to her marriage and Clarke related always fascinated Anya, Lexa’s entire demeanour changed from cool and calm to hot and volatile in a blink of an eye. Knowing when it’s best to back off and drop a subject, Anya sighed then glanced at the clock on Lexa’s wall. With a small huff she pushed herself out of her chair then looked down at Lexa sat in her desk chair.

“I hope you know what you are doing” Anya said

“You will always have our support no matter what, it’s your life and you can do what you want, hell you always have” Anya chuckled

“But just so you know, your fiancée didn’t make a good first impression with us” she added.

Lexa nodded in acknowledgement.

“I’m sure with time that will change and we will get to know Costia better” Lexa replied.

Sighing at the fact that Lexa had included herself in the statement, Anya made her way to leave.

“We will” she smirked

“Mom and Dad expect you both at theirs this weekend for a BBQ, no excuses. Consider me your official invite” Anya chuckled.

And before Lexa could argue, Anya left her office as quickly as she had arrived and left Lexa slumped in her desk chair, with no motivation to continue her work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your kudos and comments, it is great to know that you enjoyed the first chapter.
> 
> Another shout out to my LDPS, thanks for the head pats and putting up with my moaning :p


	3. Chapter 3

Friday afternoon Lexa sat in her car outside Aden’s school waiting for him to leave his after school rehearsals. The week had seemed to crawl by after Anya’s visit to her office and even her busy workload couldn’t take Lexa’s mind off of the invite from her parents to bring Costia home for a real meet the family meal. Lexa could deal with Anya, her taunts, her questions, her attempts at intimidation, anything Anya could throw at her Lexa handled like a pro. Her Mother, Indra, on the other hand was a whole different story, Lexa felt nervous even thinking about what Indra would say or do. Lexa knew she could sway her Father, Gustus, to her way of thinking which was that even though the proposal was premature and a complete surprise, it could possibly be a good thing for Lexa if she let it be. But Indra was like a mountain when she had set her mind on to something or decided that she didn’t like a person, she was unmovable! And if Anya was right and Costia hadn’t made a good first impression at their first meeting, Lexa knew it would be an impossible task to try and change Indra’s mind. All Lexa could hope was for the BBQ to end quickly with as few bumps along the way as possible.

Seeing movement from the school’s entrance, Lexa turned her head and watched as a small group of children left the building. Spotting Aden easily, Lexa beamed at the sight of her son and watched him as he noticed her car then broke away from the group and set off running to where she was parked. Aden quickly climbed in to Lexa’s car and leaned over the gear shift he then flung his arms around Lexa’s neck and hugged her tightly.

“Hi, Momma!” he said cheerily in her ear.

Lexa’s smile grew as she manipulated her body so she could reach one arm around Aden and hug him back. Mother and son sat for a few seconds wrapped in each other’s arms, enjoying being reunited once again. Lexa lived for these moments on her Friday afternoons when she knew that she had her time with Aden for a few days and she always made sure to make the most of their time together. After a few more seconds of holding Aden, Lexa gave the boy a quick squeeze and let her arm drop. As Aden uncurled his arms from around her neck he placed a wet kiss to Lexa’s cheek.

“I missed you, Momma” he said quietly then leaned back into his seat.

Lexa’s heart swelled in her chest with unconditional love and a small pool of tears gathered in her eyes. Tilting her head back, Lexa stared at the roof of the car and blinked rapidly while inhaling through her mouth to try and stop her tears from falling. After letting her breath out slowly, she felt like she had enough control of her emotions and dipped her head to look at Aden again.

“I missed you too, baby boy” she replied, her voice thick with emotion.

Aden giggled at Lexa’s words as he reached for his seatbelt and clicked it in place.

“I’m not a baby anymore, Momma” he chuckled while gazing at Lexa with amused eyes.

Lexa smirked at the boy while turning in her seat then started the car and pulled away from Aden’s school.

“You’ll always be my baby” she stated, amusing Aden even more with her rare show of nostalgia.

“How was your week?” Lexa asked as she drove.

Like Clarke, when Lexa wasn’t with her son in person she kept in touch with him constantly. She loved to know about the daily activities he did in his life, even when she felt a deep, bone aching sadness that she wasn’t a part of them and was missing out, she enjoyed hearing about his day. Even with the daily contact, Lexa loved to hear Aden tell her again in person what he had been up to. His enthusiasm in everything he did made Lexa happy and she looked forward to their Friday drive home where they swapped stories of their week.

“It has been soooo tiring” Aden sighed dramatically while shaking his head, making Lexa laugh tenderly.

“Is that so? What happened?” she asked amusedly.

“We’ve being rehearsing after school since Tuesday for the play to try and get it right, but some people still don’t know their lines and we have less than a week till show night. Amateurs” Aden exclaimed.

Lexa tried hard not to laugh at Aden’s dismay of his peers, but a quick giggle escaped which she tried to cover with a fake cough. She could understand how he was feeling, her own competitive nature made her strive to be the best and left her feeling annoyed when others didn’t put in as much effort as she did, and the more Aden took part in school activities she saw how he had favoured her in that respect.

“They may find it difficult to learn their lines Aden” Lexa said trying to reason with him

“Maybe if you showed them your technique it would help them” she suggested.

Lexa had spent the last few weeks listening to Aden recite his lines to the tune of a song that he seemed to really like. At first Lexa hadn’t understood how it could possibly be helping him remember his lines, then one day at work she sat at her computer going through her emails and Aden’s lines unexpectedly started to play in her head like lyrics to a song and they stuck in her head for the rest of the day. Pride that Aden had thought of the method all on his own had engulfed her and now she knew his part as well as Aden did.

Aden’s face scrunched up in thought at Lexa’s words, Lexa could see the cogs turning in his mind by the minute changes in his expression and when his face relaxed and he nodded, Lexa knew she had convinced Aden to try what she had suggested.

“I think you’re right, Momma. I’ll try that next week” he said.

Lexa dipped her head in acknowledgement and listened to Aden as he continued to tell her about the play.

“I told Miss Niylah all about us going to the arcade tomorrow and she said I was very lucky and to have fun” Aden said with excitement.

Confused by the abrupt change of topic, Lexa’s usually quick mind took a few seconds to register what Aden had said. When she finally realised what Aden was talking about Lexa felt her stomach drop, she _had_ promised to take him to the arcade the next day but had completely forgotten about it. Guilt prickled under her skin as she thought of a way to tell Aden that they had to cancel their plans. She hated breaking her promises to him, they only had two days together and Lexa didn’t like to have Aden upset during that time because of something she had done. But Lexa knew she had no other choice, her parents had basically demanded her presence the next day and she didn’t want to risk pissing off Indra more than she already had.

“I told her we…”

“Aden” Lexa said firmly when the boy started to talk again.

Aden stopped what he was saying at Lexa’s tone and frowned. Lexa cleared her throat then flexed her fingers out nervously before gripping the steering wheel again.

“Aden” she said again and paused.

 “I’m sorry, but there has been a change of plans”

Aden’s frown deepened as he stared at Lexa and waited for her to continue.

“We’re going to a BBQ instead. GeeGee and Pops…”

“We’re going to GeeGee and Pops?!” Aden exclaimed excitedly while wriggling around giddily in his seat.

Lexa chuckled softly while shaking her head in amusement at her son’s excitement. Aden loved to spend time with his Grandparents and they doted on Aden like only Grandparents do. Presents, trips, sleepovers, Aden only had to hint at wanting something and her parents jumped to fulfil his every whim. Lexa found it highly amusing how someone so small could make her strict, no nonsense parents crumble with a bat of his lashes, what made it even more amusing was that Indra was the worse of the two.

“What time are we going? Can I play in the pool? Is Pops grilling or you? Who else i…”

“Hold on a second” Lexa laughed

“We’re going around lunchtime. If the weather is nice the yes you can play in the pool and I think your Pops is grilling” Lexa answered with a smile.

Aden nodded energetically as Lexa answered his questions.

“Go on, next question” Lexa offered.

Aden grinned sheepishly at his Mother.

“Who’s gonna be there? Is Aunt Anya gonna be there and uncle Linc?”

 “Yes and Yes, they’re both going to be there. GeeGee and Pops want all of us there, they want to meet Costia again so everyone can get to know her better, including you” Lexa said.

At the mention of Costia’s name Aden ceased his excited wriggling.

“Oh” he muttered.

Lexa quickly took her eyes off the road to glance at Aden, a quiet sadness seemed to shroud him and Lexa was confused by his sudden change in attitude over someone he had only met once.

“Are you ok? Does having Costia come along upset you?” she asked gently while turning back to look out of the windscreen.

Out the corner of her eye she saw Aden shake his head.

“It’s ok, I guess. You are marrying her so she’s gonna be part of the family right?”

Lexa cleared her throat and nodded.

“But if you’re feeling upset about Costia and I, I want you to talk to me about it Aden” Lexa urged.

“I’m not” Aden replied with a shrug making Lexa frown.

Clearly the news was bothering Aden and Lexa didn’t want to think she would ever brush over what he was feeling, he was Lexa’s top priority in life and if he didn’t like Costia she needed to know.

“Aden…” she began to say but was quickly interrupted by her son.

“It’s cool, I don’t mind and I’m not upset about Costia coming, Momma. I promise” Aden said quite forcefully.

“Are you sure?” Lexa asked with a quick glance at Aden who turned his head away from Lexa to look out of his side window, making it impossible for her to see his expression.

He really didn’t mind that Costia was joining them for the family BBQ, he understood that she was now a part of Lexa’s life which in turn meant she was going to be a part of his too, which he was ok with. But he couldn’t help but feel sad when he remembered Clarke’s reaction to his news about Lexa and Costia. His Mom had constantly reassured him that she was fine and that everything was ok but Aden could see the hurt in her eyes that she couldn’t quite hide. And when his Mom or Momma hurt it upset Aden too, and he knew Costia been a part of family time would hurt Clarke. Knowing he couldn’t tell Lexa why he was feeling sad that Costia would be there the next day, Aden decided to change the subject instead of answering his Momma’s question.

“Can I play on my Xbox when we get home?” he asked as he turned his head to look at Lexa again.

Realising Aden didn’t want to talk about the BBQ anymore, Lexa decided not to keep pushing the topic when it seemed to upset him. She hoped that when he decided that he wanted to talk about everything he would approach her without hesitation.

“Sure, but only after you have finished your homework” Lexa agreed earning a smile from her son who brightened at the idea of playing on his game console.

 

~~~

 

It was nearing lunchtime the next day and Lexa stood in the foyer by her front door shrugging in to a black, leather jacket. She was, as usual, waiting for Aden to finish getting ready and waiting for Costia to arrive so they could drive to her parents’ house.

Raising her hands she slipped them under her brown tresses and swept her hair up and out from under the collar of her jacket. Turning to the left to face the mirror mounted on the hallway wall, she toyed with her hair to make sure no lose strands had escaped her tight braids. Immersed in her reflection, Lexa failed to hear the sound of soft, creeping footsteps approaching her from behind.

“I’m ready!” Aden exclaimed loudly.

Lexa jerked in fright and brought her hand to her chest to cover her racing heart as Aden giggled at his success in scaring his Momma.

“Jesus Aden, you scared me” she said.

Turning away from the mirror to face him, Lexa scowled at the mischievous, grinning boy who stood there with his worn out converse on his feet, black leggings under a white linen summer dress, a pair of headphones hanging round his neck and a kid’s version of the leather jacket she had chosen to wear wrapped around his body.  Lexa gestured to the jacket with a nod of her head and smirked.

“Really?” she asked.

Aden nodded and shrugged.

“It completes my outfit” he explained

“Plus I think it’s awesome that we’re wearing the same jacket, it means I’m cool like you” he added with a huge smile.

Lexa laughed at his description of her; cool was not a word others would use to describe her, well not in the way Aden was, and to know that he saw her as someone to look up to warmed her heart.

“In a few years times I’ll be reminding you of this conversation when you start to think that I’m lame” she chuckled.

“That’s never gonna happen” Aden replied sweetly.

As Lexa opened her mouth to reply the foyer filled with the soft jingling of the doorbell, Lexa pointed at Aden while reaching for the door handle.

“I’ll be reminding you that you said that as well” she said and opened the door.

Standing there wearing a pencil skirt, blouse and heels, looking way too formal for a relaxed family BBQ, was Costia. Seeing Lexa at the door, Costia leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss to Lexa’s lips in greeting. Lexa let go of the door handle and placed her hands on Costia’s hips, with a gentle push she moved Costia away and scowled at the other woman.

“Costia! She chastised then gave a quick glance over her shoulder at Aden who stood there watching their greeting with a neutral expression on his face.

Tilting her head to the side so she could look over Lexa’s shoulder, Costia’s eyes widened when she saw Aden. Lifting her head to look at Lexa again, Costia smiled tightly.

“Darling, Aden is wearing a dress” Costia pointed out quietly.

Lexa turned so her back was to the open door and looked at Aden with a wide smile.

“He looks cool right?” she said with a smirk and a wink at the boy who grinned happily back at her.

“Yes he does” Costia agreed saccharinely.

Lexa lifted her arm to look at her watch and checked the time.

“We have to set off or we will be late, and Mom does not tolerate tardiness” she said making Aden chuckle, knowing how true Lexa’s words were.

“Do you have everything you need?” she asked Aden as he walked towards her.

“Yup” he answered.

“Are you sure? Once we set off we aren’t turning around once you realise you’ve forgotten something” Lexa warned.

“I’m sure, Momma” Aden replied.

Both Mother and Son missed the quick grimace on Costia’s face at Aden’s use of the word “Momma”.

“Hello Aden” Costia greeted as Aden walked by her.

Aden stopped to look up at Costia and smiled.

“Hi” Aden replied then headed towards Lexa’s car.

After closing and locking the front door, Lexa followed Aden to the car with Costia walking beside her.

“It isn’t far to my parents’ house, should take us around twenty minutes for us to get there which means we’ll be on time” Lexa explained making small talk as they walked.

Costia nodded then raised her hand and gave Lexa’s bicep a quick squeeze making Lexa turn her head and look at the other woman.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know your family better, Darling. I’m rather pleased that they liked me enough to invite me to their home” Costia said.

Lexa internally groaned at Costia’s words.

_If only you knew_ , she thought while giving Costia a small smile in reply.

When they reached the car Lexa split from Costia’s side and made her way around the front of the car, she heard the sound of a car door opening and was about to open her own door when she heard her name being called out.

“Lexa, Darling. We seem to be having a little problem here”

Lexa looked over the roof of the car and saw that Aden had been the one to open the car door and was about to climb in to the front seat, she watched as he stopped and turned to look at Costia.

“Adults sit in the front seat, Aden. Children sit in the back” Costia said haughtily.

Aden frowned at Costia and shook his head.

“But it’s my seat, I always sit there. Right, Momma?” he explained then turned to look at Lexa.

Lexa’s eyes darted back and forth between Costia and Aden, both looking at her asking for her agreement with them.  Costia raised her brows while Aden puffed out his chest in a challenge and raised his chin defiantly. Lexa bit back a smile at her son’s actions; it reminded her of herself and the way she reacted when feeling challenged.

Seeing that the issue could possibly turn in to an argument, Lexa sighed. Aden was right with his thinking, he always sat beside her in the car and had never had to sit in the back before as no one had joined them on their drives, for years it had been only Aden and herself.

Resting her eyes on Costia, Lexa raised her chin and looked at the other woman.

“Aden is right, the front seat is his”.

As she spoke, Lexa watched Costia’s face drop in utter disbelief and from the corner of her eye she saw a wide, triumphant grin spread across Aden’s face. Shifting her focus to her son, Lexa smiled.

“But it would be nice of you to share your seat every now and then” she urged him

“I’m sure Costia would be very grateful if you did, the decision is yours to make” she added.

Aden looked up at Costia in thought while Costia still stood staring at Lexa in disbelief at the fact that she had agreed with Aden instead of her. Sighing deeply, Aden nodded once then turned his head to look at Lexa.

“Ok, this time I will let her sit in my seat” he huffed.

Lexa grinned at Aden while dipping her head in gratitude at Aden’s decision.

“How gracious of you” Costia sniped as they all climbed into their seats and buckled in.

Scowling at Costia, Lexa turned to glare at the woman but Costia was already smiling happily back at her making Lexa think she had heard Costia’s tone wrong.

“There is a condition though” Aden said as Lexa started the car, ready to be on their way.

Frowning, Lexa looked over her shoulder at Aden.

“A condition?” she asked.

“Yup” Aden nodded.

Lexa quickly glanced at Costia who was looking over her own shoulder and was frowning at Aden.

“I still get to pick the music” Aden stated.

 

~~~

 

Arriving at her parent’s house, Lexa hadn’t even shut off the car’s engine before Aden was eagerly unclipping his seatbelt and jumping out of the car. With an amused chuckle, Lexa climbed out of her car and waited for Costia to exit the vehicle then followed after Aden. As they walked across the drive way towards the front door, Costia slipped her arm through Lexa’s and clung on tightly to Lexa’s bicep. Aden had reached the front door and was reaching out for the handle when suddenly the door was opened by a grinning Lincoln. Towering over his nephew, Lincoln looked down at Aden while raising his hand in the air.

“Little man, up high” he said.

Aden laughed while jumping up to try and high five his uncle, Lincoln quickly moved his hand away before Aden could slap his palm against his, making Aden laugh louder.

“Not fair, uncle Linc! I reached you!” he exclaimed.

Lexa chuckled at the pair’s antics while stopping to stand near them; she then waited while they carried out the rest of their standard greeting.

“Nah wasn’t even close” Lincoln teased.

“Yes I was” Aden protested with a laugh.

Lincoln’s smile grew as he placed his hand back low enough for Aden to reach.

“Ok try again” he said.

This time Lincoln kept in hand in place as Aden jumped up and slapped their palms together.

“See!” Aden said triumphantly while stepping around Lincoln and heading in to the house.

“Loving the dress by the way” Lincoln called after him.

Finally acknowledging his sister, Lincoln smirked.

“Nice jacket. Twinsies” he teased.

Lexa shook her head and chuckled while stepping forward and reached out her arms to hug her big brother.

“Shut up. He thinks we look cool” Lexa stated while stepping out of her hug with Lincoln.

Lexa turned her head to look at Costia who had hung back during their greeting.

“Lincoln, you remember Costia” Lexa said as Costia stepped beside her and once again slipped her arm through Lexa’s and held on.

“Of course I do. The fiancée” Lincoln replied sending a pointed look at Lexa.

Costia held out her hand towards Lincoln with a small smile gracing her mouth.

“Hello again, Lincoln. It’s a pleasure” she said.

Lincoln glanced down at the hand Costia was holding out for him to shake, then quickly at Lexa with a raised brow before bringing his attention back to Costia.

“Hi, Costia” he greeted while taking a hold of Costia’s hand and gave it a quick, firm shake.

The trio stood uncomfortably by the front door for a few seconds in silence.

“Pops!” suddenly echoed through the house.

“Looks like the little man found Dad” Lincoln laughed then turned around and headed towards the kitchen where Aden’s voice had come from.

Lexa followed Lincoln through their parent’s house with Costia still holding on to her arm. When they reached the kitchen, Lexa beamed at the sight that greeted her. Aden was wrapped around Gustus’ torso like a koala, while her father bounced Aden up and down making the boy laugh.

“My boy! Beautiful dress” Gustus bellowed as Aden placed a kiss to his cheek.

“And one of my girls” he added when he spotted Lexa standing at the kitchen door with Costia by her side.

“Hey Dad” Lexa said and made her way over to Gustus and Aden.

Gustus uncurled one of his arms from under Aden, wrapped it around Lexa and pulled her into a side hug. Lexa nudged Aden’s head out of the way with her own and placed a kiss to Gustus’ cheek then stepped back and walked over to join Costia again. Aden jumped down from Gustus’ arms and ran towards the back door that led to the garden with Lincoln following close behind him. Hearing splashes from the pool, Lexa knew the rest of the family were no doubt all gathered in the back yard.

“GeeGee!” Aden exclaimed the second he and Lincoln crossed the threshold.

Gustus’ eyes hadn’t left Costia through it all and he continued to stare at her as Lexa stood next to her.

“Dad you remem…” Lexa began to say.

“Costia” Gustus said coldly.

Lexa watched as Gustus raked his eyes over Costia from her head to her toes. Lexa had thought that she could perhaps sway Gustus to her way of thinking, that their engagement wasn’t a bad thing, but judging by the way he was looking at Costia; Lexa knew it wasn’t going to be as easy as she had thought.

“Mr Woods, thank you for the invite to lunch. You have a lovely home” Costia said while holding her hand out in greeting.

Gustus made no move to take Costia’s hand.

“I do” Gustus said acknowledging Costia’s compliment of his home.

“As for the invite, well my wife and I want to get to know the woman who thinks she is worthy of our daughter” he added sternly.

Lexa’s eyes widened in shock at Gustus’ attitude towards Costia, usually the man was a teddy bear. He easily forgave people and was the type of guy who carried old people’s shopping to their cars at the store, but the man before her was being blatantly rude to one of his guests and Lexa had never witnessed this side of him before.

“Of course you do Mr Woods, and I look forward to presenting my case” Costia replied as if she was talking to one of her clients.

Lexa sighed inwardly and looked at her father pleadingly, hoping he would let it go. Gustus gave Lexa an unamused stare then gently shook his head in frustration.

“The others are waiting in the garden, we should go join them” Gustus said.

Lexa smiled gratefully at Gustus as he passed by her and headed out to the garden.

“Your father appears to be a little upset with me, Darling” Costia whispered as they followed after Gustus.

“But don’t worry I will have him eating out of the palm of my hand by the time we leave” she added confidently.

_This is going to be a disaster_ , Lexa thought as they neared the back door.

“It came with a belt too bit it swooshes more without it” Lexa heard Aden say as she entered the garden.

Looking over at Aden, who was stood next to the pool talking to Octavia, she laughed as he demonstrated how his dress moved better without its belt by swaying his hips from side to side rapidly.

“Wow A.J, I see what you mean” Octavia replied.

Lexa huffed when she heard Octavia use Aden’s initials as his name, Aden had many nicknames among the family, kid, my boy, little man and dude were some of the regulars but Lexa seriously disliked A.J and Octavia knew that. Yet the other woman continued to call her son it no matter how many times Lexa had asked her not to.

“Octavia!” Lexa chastised

Octavia looked over Aden’s head at Lexa and smiled teasingly, she then began to walk over to where Lexa and Costia were standing while Aden ran off to find someone new to talk to. When Octavia reached them she pulled Lexa in to a hug which Lexa quickly reciprocated.

“Long time no see” Octavia said while stepping out of her hug with Lexa.

Lexa chuckled while nodding her head in agreement while Octavia switched her attention to Costia and sized her up.

“You must be the fiancée we’ve heard _so much_ about” she said sarcastically while side eyeing Lexa.

Lexa shook her head exasperatedly at Octavia as Costia once again held out her hand for a formal handshake.

“I’m Costia, and you are?” Costia asked suspiciously.

Octavia smirked then glanced down at Costia’s hand.

“Ok, I’ll go with it” Octavia chuckled while grasping Costia’s hand tightly with her own.

“I’m Octavia” she replied not adding what her connection to the family was.

Glancing over Octavia’s shoulder, Lexa found the others watching Octavia and Costia’s greeting intently. As one of Clarke’s closest friends, the family knew Octavia could react one of two ways towards Costia, she could hate her on sight for being with her friend’s ex-wife a show of solidarity to their friendship or she could be indifferent if she didn’t see Costia as a threat. The scales could tip in either direction; it all depended on how Costia interacted with Octavia. 

Sighing, Lexa shook her head and smiled.

“Let’s join the others now all the introductions have being made” she suggested and the three women made their way to the rest of the family who were waiting on the patio.

The patio was a portioned off area to the side of the pool that Gustus had built when Lexa was a child, there was a bar, sound system, plush furniture and a cooking station and at family get togethers everyone flocked to the area to relax and spend time together.

When they reached the patio Lexa nodded a greeting to her Mom, Indra, who was sat in one of the few chairs positioned around the patio table. To others the greeting could be interpreted as being cold or unloving but Indra wasn’t the type of person who hugged and kissed others, she showed her affections through her actions. Indra nodded back at Lexa as the three women sat in their chairs around the table, Octavia sat next to Lincoln while Costia and Lexa chose the chairs placed between Indra and Anya. Indra shifted her eyes to Costia who smiled cheerily back at her.

“Thank you for inviting us over for lunch” Costia said to Indra

“We have been looking forward to it all week” she added speaking for Lexa as well who had spent her week dreading the thought of attending the BBQ.

Anya scoffed quietly knowing that Lexa would rather be anywhere else then where she currently was. When Indra didn’t reply to her, Costia turned her head to her right to look at Anya and smiled in greeting while holding her hand out again.

“Hello, Anya” Costia said.

Anya quirked her eyebrow while leaning her body forward so she could see Lexa over Costia’s body, Lexa shook her head warningly at Anya who smirked then sat back in her chair.

“Costia” Anya replied but ignored the woman’s hand.

Costia let her hand drop in her lap as Lexa looked around at the people gathered on the patio. Aden chatted away endlessly to Gustus who was standing in front of the grill flipping over the meat, Indra sat to Lexa’s left while Lincoln and Octavia sat across the table from Costia and herself, while Anya was sat to Costia’s right. There were three empty chairs left at the table, two to Indra’s left and one sandwiched between Lincoln and Anya where Lexa knew Aden liked to sit when they had meals together. Finishing at the grill, Gustus and Aden approached the table together.

“Food should be ready in fifteen” Aden announced.

“Can’t wait, little man” Lincoln replied.

“Momma, can I play in the pool now?” Aden asked hopefully looking at Lexa from Gustus’ side.

“Of course you can” Indra answered for Lexa before she could open her mouth.

Lexa rolled her eyes at Indra’s disregard of her authority.

“Go and get changed then” Lexa said.

Aden quickly ran from the patio and headed in to the house, leaving the adults by themselves. The table fell in to a tense silence as everyone sat around not knowing what to say to start the interrogation they all knew the BBQ was meant to be. Lexa cleared her throat and was about to ask Gustus what he had decided to cook when Costia leaned closer to Lexa and placed her hand on Lexa’s thigh possessively then spoke. 

“Octavia, I’m wondering why you didn’t join us at the restaurant last week. I had thought Lexa’s assistant had invited all of her siblings to the meal” Costia said probingly, trying to figure out Octavia’s relation to the family.

Octavia shook her head at Costia and gave her an amused smirk, knowing what Costia was up to. The mischievous part of Octavia had her wanting to play with the woman and hint at being a fling of Lexa’s to see if Costia was simply curious or jealous, but she chose to behave instead.

“I’m not Lexa’s sister, I’m Lincoln’s partner” Octavia said and watched as Costia seemed to relax in her chair.

“Oh my apologies, with such a diverse family it was hard to know whether or not if you were a sibling” Costia chuckled.

“Yeah, Mom got around a lot in her younger years” Anya joked making her father, siblings and Octavia laugh while a flash of a smile crossed Indra’s face then vanished just as quickly.

Noticing that Costia didn’t seem to understand the joke, Lincoln frowned at Lexa in confusion then spoke to Costia.

“We’re adopted” he explained.

Costia’s head whipped to the left to look at Lexa in surprise.

“You’re adopted?” she asked incredulously.

Anya leaned forward in her seat so she could see Lexa and scowled at her younger sister.

“She doesn’t even know that you’re adopted?” she asked in disbelief.

Lexa sighed and refused to look an Anya.

“The subject never came up, there was no reason to tell her” Lexa answered.

“Right, because you didn’t introduce us until the night of your _engagement_!” Anya snapped back.

“Enough” Indra said warningly making Anya sit back in her chair with a huff.

“We are here to rectify Lexa’s mistake not make an argument out of it” she added.

Lexa dipped her head in gratitude at Indra then turned to look at Costia, who was still staring at Lexa.

“Yes, as Lincoln said we are all adopted” she answered.

Costia nodded slowly then turned to look at Octavia when the other woman brought the table back to the original subject of why she hadn’t been there the night of the engagement.

“I wasn’t there because I was away with work” Octavia explained

“Though I would have _loved_ to have been there, I heard your proposal was very erm… _romantic_ ” she added making Anya snort in amusement.

Lexa shook her head in annoyance at the way the others were behaving, Costia smiled widely at Octavia not picking up on the fact that she had been joking.

“I did try, it took some time to plan but obviously it all paid off” Costia replied.

Lexa internally groaned as the others zeroed in on her in disbelief, she didn’t know if Costia was deliberately being obtuse or if she genuinely wasn’t noticing her family’s rudeness, what she did know was that Costia wasn’t winning herself any favours either way.

“Clearly” Octavia replied.

Hearing a loud splash from the pool area, Lexa looked over her shoulder to check that Aden was ok and found him doing backflips into the water.

“You said that you were away with work? What is it that you do?” Costia asked.

Lexa stiffened in her chair at the question then turned to face the table, the topic of Octavia’s profession was a subject they avoided when they gathered together as it lead to stories of the one person Lexa tried hard not to talk or think about! Octavia chuckled amusedly thinking Costia was joking, after a few seconds where Costia still sat waiting for a reply, Octavia realised the woman had no idea who she was which was extremely rare these days, and it highly amused her that Costia didn’t have a clue.

“I’m in a band” Octavia answered while sending a quick glance Lexa’s way to gauge her reaction.

“Oh. How… interesting” Costia replied her tone suggesting it was anything but.

“It is” Octavia said defensively picking up on Costia’s disdain.

“Beats sitting behind a desk all day” she added with a cocky smile.

Costia chuckled coldly as she slid her hand from Lexa’s thigh then leaned back in her chair as if it was a throne.

“I can’t imagine being in a band is as lucrative as a desk job can be” Costia said haughtily.

Lincoln, Gustus and Anya laughed amusedly and even Lexa chuckled at Costia’s ignorance. Hearing Lexa’s chuckle Costia turned to glare at her, Lexa shrugged then turned to check on Aden again.

“Let’s just say that my last pay check was ridiculous” Octavia replied smugly, drawing Lexa’s attention away from Aden.

“Octavia is in a rather popular girl band” Gustus explained to Costia sensing that the conversation was about to get out of hand.

“A girl band?” Costia laughed mockingly.

Lexa couldn’t believe how the afternoon was spiralling, first with her family’s attitude to Costia and now with Costia’s snobbish behaviour over Octavia’s job. She knew Costia thought that being a lawyer or doctor were the only worthy professions and any others were beneath her, which had confused Lexa when Costia had said as much, because if the office rumour mill was to be believed, Costia had only got her position at the firm because of her father and not her ability as a lawyer.

Hearing the wet slap of feet heading towards them, Lexa turned her head to see Aden walking over to the patio. Facing the table again, Lexa caught Octavia’s eye then gestured with her head in Aden’s direction and glared warningly. Her message was clear, ease up in front of Aden. When Aden reached the table, Indra stood up and fetched a towel for him from the stack that was kept behind the bar for when he was around. When she returned to the table, Indra wrapped the towel around Aden’s shoulders and nodded that he could now sit down. Aden quickly plopped himself in to the chair between Lincoln and Anya.

“Yeah, a girl band called Sky Girls” Octavia boasted wanting to get the last dig in before the subject was dropped, making Aden perk up at the mention of the band’s name.

Costia paled at the name of the band Octavia was a member of and she seemed to shrivel in to herself while Octavia smiled gloatingly. People across the world knew the band Sky Girls, even if they didn’t like their music, people couldn’t not know who they were, they were everywhere! Clearing her throat Costia turned her head to look at Lexa questioningly, silently asking if Octavia was telling her the truth. Lexa nodded once and prayed that the conversation wouldn’t carry on and lead to the mentioning of a certain member of Sky Girls.

“Oh” was Costia’s only response while Lexa let out a sigh of relief that the subject had run its course.

“Is the food nearly done? I’m hungry, Pops” Aden said.

“Let me go have a look” Gustus replied and stood up to go and check the food on the grill.

Noticing the empty chair beside Gustus again, Lexa frowned confusedly then leaned forward so she could see Anya.

“Is Raven coming?” she asked Anya and noticed Costia flinch as she recognised the name of another member of Sky Girls.

“I thought she would already be here with you, or are you two arguing again?” Lexa asked earning a chuckle from Octavia.

It was well known how turbulent Anya and Raven’s relationship was, since college the pair had been on and off again so many times the others lost count. But no matter what they always made their way back to each other. During her divorce, Lexa had been envious of them, she couldn’t grasp how a relationship like theirs was stronger than the one she had with Clarke, that they could find their way back to one another while she couldn’t even speak Clarke’s name out loud.

Indra’s phone pinged on the table signalling an incoming text and distracted Lexa for a moment; she watched as Indra reached out and quickly read the text that had been sent then put her phone back on to the table in front of her.

“Excuse me” Indra said as she pushed herself out of her chair and away from the table.

“Nah, we’re good right now. She’s busy with Clar… a friend” Anya replied.

Hearing Anya’s slight slip up, Aden sat up in his chair.

“Raven’s at my house?” he asked worriedly.

Anya smiled reassuringly at him and nodded.

“But it’s only been five days since they came back” Aden said becoming slightly upset by the news.

Not understanding why Aden was becoming upset, Lexa frowned and turned to look at Anya accusingly who shrugged back at her. Lexa knew from Aden’s questions that Raven was with Clarke and going by the way he was reacting it wasn’t welcome news.

“Everything is ok” Octavia said comfortingly to Aden, seeming to know what the problem was.

“But it’s only been five days, O” Aden repeated.

“A.J I swear it’s all good ok? Raven needs to work on a routine for one of our new songs and your Mom is helping her” Octavia softly explained to him.

Lexa watched from across the table as Aden searched Octavia’s face looking to see if she was telling the truth, and when he found what he was looking for he nodded his acceptance. Costia turned to look at Lexa at the mention of Aden’s Mom, but Gustus chose that moment to return to the table with plates of food and rescued Lexa from having to explain to Costia who Aden’s Mom was.

“Lincoln, go and get the rest of the food” Gustus ordered his son, who quickly stood up to do as he was told.

As Gustus placed the plates of food on the table, his attention was captured by the woman approaching the patio with Indra.

“Finally! I thought you had stood us up” he chuckled.

The whole table turned as one to see who had joined them for lunch, and when Lexa saw who it was her eyes filled with tears.

“Grandma!” Aden shouted in joy while jumping out of his chair then ran and flung himself at Abby Griffin.

Lexa blinked and willed away her tears as the others stood up to go and hug Abby hello.

“Momma didn’t tell me you were coming” Aden said as he was nudged out of the way by Anya so she could greet Abby.

“I don’t think your Momma knew I was coming” Abby said while looking at Lexa over Anya’s shoulder.

“Grandma?” Costia mumbled to Lexa as Lexa slowly stood up from her chair.

“My mother in law” she replied and made her way over to her family.

Seeing Abby always made Lexa feel vulnerable since the divorce, being around her felt like being stabbed in the chest and calming all at once. This woman had brought Clarke in to the world and even after everything that had happened, Lexa was eternally grateful for that as the woman’s daughter had given Lexa her son.

When the others finished their greetings, Abby and Lexa stood gazing at each other, seeing the slight glaze in Lexa’s eyes, Abby shook her head sadly while opening her arms wide for Lexa to step in to.

“Come here, hunni” Abby said softly and Lexa flung herself at the woman like Aden had.

Lexa wasn’t stupid; she knew why Abby had been invited. She was here to remind Lexa; to bring some sense back to her life. It wasn’t strange for Abby to join them at family events, to the Woods family blood meant nothing, if you cared for a person they were family.

After hugging for a few seconds, Lexa stepped back and let her arms drop while Abby placed her hands on Lexa’s shoulders. They looked in to each other’s eyes and held a silent conversation.

_“Are you ok?”_

_“I will be”_

_“I’m here for you”_

_“Thank you”_

At the clearing of someone’s throat, Lexa turned to look behind her and found Costia waiting to be introduced. The other’s watched as Abby took in the woman who was meant to be replacing her daughter in Lexa’s life, Lexa moved to stand next to Costia while looking at Abby.

“Abby, I would like to introduce you to my…” Lexa paused and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

“Fiancée, Costia” Lexa said

Abby smiled at Costia, who hadn’t held out her hand for Abby to shake, which Lexa took notice of immediately.

“I’m Abby and I’m looking forward to getting to know you” Abby said candidly.

“Now, I see a table full of food and I missed breakfast this morning. Why don’t we move this along, I know Gustus’ kebabs are to die for!” Abby added and made her way over to the patio table with the others following her.

After they had all sat down and filled their plates with food, Abby glanced at Lexa who caught the woman’s eye and smiled affectionately at her.

“Come on, I want to hear the details” Abby said to Lexa who frowned back, mystified by Abby’s question.

“The proposal, tell me all about it” Abby added.

Lexa averted her eyes, as Anya scoffed.

Everyone’s attention focused on Lexa and Costia, making Lexa feel uncomfortable. Costia looked to Lexa for her to tell the story but when she wouldn’t make eye contact, Costia began to tell it instead. Lexa listened for a few minutes as Costia painted a romantic picture of flickering candles and soft music; she had to appreciate the fact that Costia had a knack for spinning a tale. But as Costia continued to tell her version of the night, Lexa’s mind took a rare journey down memory lane, to a different time and a different proposal.

++

_Lexa felt bone tired, her evening shift at the coffee house had been hectic and she had been rushed off of her feet filling the customer’s orders, and all that she had wanted was to go home._

_Letting herself in to their trailer, Lexa cringed. She hated the fact that her family could only afford to live in a trailer, the park wasn’t run down and the neighbours were nice and helpful but it was the stigma attached to living in a trailer that bothered her. She and Clarke already had to deal with stares and comments at being teenage parents, and when people found out they lived in a trailer the whispers behind their backs doubled._

_When Lexa had thought of bringing her child home from the hospital she had imagined a nice house with a small garden and a swing set, not a metal box surrounded by more metal boxes; but the landlord of the park was the only one willing to give them a chance to prove that they would be good tenants. It had taken some convincing, with her being only seventeen and Clarke sixteen at the time and with a child on the way, the fact that Lexa’s parents paid most of the rent also helped sway the landlord’s mind. She knew she should be grateful and she was, but she couldn’t help but want more for her family._

_Stepping into the trailer, Lexa closed the door behind her and kicked off her shoes. She listened for any movement in the trailer, and a tender smile spread across her face when she heard Clarke’s soft humming voice coming from the direction of Aden’s bedroom. Quietly walking towards the room, Lexa stopped when she reached the threshold and leaned against the door frame. Her heart swelled to twice its size at the sight that greeted her, sat in an overstuffed chair they had bought from a garage sale, was Clarke with Aden cradled in her arms._

_Clarke was humming a lullaby to Aden as he suckled at her breast. Lexa rested her head against the door frame and gazed at the pair lovingly, no matter how hard life was or how tired she felt, coming home to Clarke and Aden erased all of her misgivings. They were her light, and she still didn’t know how she had been lucky enough to have Clarke want to be with her. From the moment she saw Clarke she knew she was going to love her, fifteen years old and she had fallen hard after one glance in to azure eyes across a crowded school hallway. She had endured her siblings mocking her, telling her she didn’t know what love was at such a young age, but she did. When she looked at Clarke she felt whole, she made sense with Clarke by her side. Now nearly three years later, they were still together, stronger than ever and Lexa knew she was going to spend the rest of her life with the girl sat in the chair._

_“I’m going to marry you” Lexa said softly, surprising Clarke in the process._

_Clarke’s head snapped up from looking down at Aden feeding and smiled adoringly at the sight of Lexa._

_“Are you asking or telling me?” Clarke chuckled._

_Lexa grinned and pushed off of the door frame then made her way over to where Clarke was sitting with Aden. When she reached them she leaned down and placed a soft kiss to Clarke’s lips, who had them puckered and waiting, she then bent over to place a kiss to her feeding son’s soft, blonde hair. Lexa lifted her head and looked deeply in to Clarke’s blue eyes._

_“Stating a fact” Lexa replied confidently making Clarke giggle._

_Having had enough milk, Aden unlatched from Clarke’s breast and gazed sleepily up at his parents._

_“Hey, baby boy” Lexa cooed, while leaning down to scoop the sleepy baby from Clarke’s arms then cradled him to her chest._

_“How was your shift?” Clarke asked noticing Lexa’s slumped posture._

_“Busy, how was yours?” Lexa asked in return._

_Clarke worked as a part time cashier at the local supermarket and she knew how draining it could be for Clarke after a night of having to get up to feed Aden._

_“Today was quiet” Clarke answered while tucking her breast back in to her nursing bra._

_“Why don’t you go sit down and I’ll make you something to eat” Clarke said and stood up from the chair._

_Lexa shook her head no and leaned towards Clarke for another kiss. Clarke pecked Lexa’s lips quickly then moved away before Lexa could lean in for more. Lexa frowned at the briefness of their kiss making Clarke giggle._

_“You can have more kisses later.  First tell me what you want to eat” Clarke said._

_Lexa shook her head again and sighed deeply._

_“All I want is to lie down on our bed with you and Aden and snuggle” Lexa said hopefully._

_Clarke could be rather strict about having Aden in their bed, it wasn’t often she let him sleep between them telling Lexa he had to get used to sleeping by himself in his own room._

_Clarke rolled her eyes at Lexa while nodding her head yes._

_“Fine, but only for ten minutes then he goes in his crib” Clarke warned._

_Lexa grinned happily and nodded her agreement while making her way out of Aden’s bedroom, across the trailer and towards their bedroom quickly in case Clarke changed her mind. When she reached their bedroom, Lexa settled on the bed on her back and placed Aden on his front across her chest. Aden drowsily rearranged himself so his head was snuggled under Lexa’s chin; Lexa lifted her head from her pillow and smiled at the sight of her resting son._

_Noticing Clarke standing at the door of their room, Lexa raised her brow enquiringly._

_“Aren’t you going to join us?” she asked._

_Clarke nodded and walked over to bed; she then climbed on to it and crawled across until she was by Lexa’s side._

_“I was admiring the view” Clarke admitted._

_Lexa beamed as Clarke snuggled in to her and draped her arm over Lexa’s waist, then laid her head on Lexa’s shoulder. Lexa sighed contentedly and closed her eyes; this is what mattered in life, her little family. Craning her neck back, Lexa placed a kiss to Clarke’s forehead. Clarke shifted her head back, detaching Lexa’s lips in the process, and then captured Lexa’s lips with her own in a tender kiss. Lexa’s heart clenched then skipped a beat as they kissed, her body tingled and the small hairs across her body stood on end._

_“Mmm” Clarke moaned appreciatively when Lexa softly sucked on her bottom lip then let go._

_Gazing down in to Clarke’s eyes, Lexa’s heart pounded against her sternum. She really was going to marry the girl lying in her arms she thought. Lexa licked her lips nervously while she gazed at Clarke, they could do it no one was going to stop them. Lexa could marry Clarke, all she had to do was ask!_

_“You’re nearly eighteen” Lexa stated making Clarke frown in confusion._

_Clarke nodded slowly in agreement wondering where Lexa was going with this. Lexa nudged Clarke from her shoulder while cradling her arms around Aden’s back to support his head and started to sit up. When she was sat up she gently placed Aden down on the bed between herself and Clarke then shifted so she was kneeling. She faced Clarke who had sat up when she had and was frowning at Lexa in bewilderment._

_“I want to marry you” Lexa stated._

_Clarke’s smile radiated with love as she gazed at Lexa with sparkling eyes._

_“You were being serious” she said referring to Lexa’s statement in Aden’s room._

_“Deadly” Lexa replied while scooting closer to Clarke across the bed and reached out to hold Clarke’s hands with her own._

_“I love you, Clarke. And I want to be your wife” she added softly._

_Clarke beamed at Lexa and nodded her head yes._

_“When?” Clarke asked excitedly._

_Lexa chuckled and shrugged._

_“As soon as you turn eighteen, before Aden turns one” she replied and bit her lower lip waiting for Clarke to respond, she didn’t have to wait for long._

_“Yes! Let’s do it” Clarke exclaimed making Aden jerk in his sleep at her loud voice._

_“Shhh” Lexa giggled._

_Lexa pulled on Clarke’s hands to bring her to her knees then crushed their upper bodies together while their lips crashed hungrily together and their arms wrapped around each other’s backs._

We’re getting married _, Lexa thought as Clarke’s mouth moulded itself to hers again and again._

_Clarke’s tongue stroked Lexa’s bottom lip seeking entrance, Lexa opened her mouth and their tongues quickly joined their kisses and stroked against the other sloppily. Lexa nibbled on Clarke’s lip while her hands lowered to cup Clarke’s ass._

_Suddenly Aden squawked in his sleep putting an abrupt end to Clarke and Lexa’s kissing. Resting her forehead against Clarke’s, Lexa smiled ecstatically at her fiancée. She hadn’t thought it could be possible to be any happier with Clarke, but hearing Clarke agree to marry her made Lexa feel like she was going to burst at the seams with love and happiness. Clarke gently captured Lexa’s smiling lips with her own while cupping Lexa’s cheeks with her hands then looked at her with shining eyes as she pulled back from their kiss._

_“I love you, too” Clarke replied belatedly to Lexa’s declaration of love._

_“You better Mrs Woods” Lexa said teasingly making Clarke beam._

_Aden jerked in his sleep, drawing Clarke and Lexa’s attention down to his sleeping form._

_“What me to put him in his crib?” Lexa asked._

_Clarke looked between Aden and Lexa then shook her head._

_“No, let’s sleep as a family tonight”._

++

 

“Wasn’t it Lexa?”

Lexa blinked rapidly at the mention of her name, trying to bring herself back from the past, she had no idea what had being asked of her or who had asked but she nodded anyway. She dazedly looked around the table to find her family staring at her and Costia.

“It sounds like a beautiful proposal” Abby said in a clipped tone which snapped Lexa back to the conversation she was meant to be a part of.

“Thank you” Costia replied with a smile while taking Lexa’s hand in her own.

Lexa stared at their joined hands and frowned, so soon after thinking about her proposal to Clarke, Lexa felt wrong holding another woman’s hand. She felt raw and exposed, it was why she avoided thinking of Clarke, she couldn’t deal with the feelings her memories provoked. Snatching her hand from Costia’s, Lexa abruptly stood up from the table.

“Excuse me” she choked out then turned and walked away from the table leaving Costia feeling confused.

The others looked at each other knowingly as Lexa hastily walked away; Abby caught Indra’s eyes who nodded subtly. Taking this as her cue to go and talk to Lexa, Abby stood up from her chair and followed after her daughter in law.

 

Lexa walked in to the kitchen and headed over to the kitchen island, she placed her palms flat on the surface and hung her head. She inhaled deeply through her nose then slowly exhaled through her mouth, trying to get a hold of what she was feeling so she could put it away again. A soft click echoed in the room, causing Lexa’s head to whip up and around at the sound. Abby had followed her in to the house and the click she had heard was the sound of the back door being closed behind them. Lexa let out an unhappy laugh then turned back to face forwards. Abby approached the island and pulled out one of the stools from underneath then carefully sat down. She gave Lexa a few minutes to compose herself and clear her mind before speaking.

“You once showed up at my door, near midnight, after years of absence and told me to pull my head out of my ass” Abby began.

Lexa smiled softly at Abby and waited for what she had to say next.

“I admit, I wanted to slap you for daring to step a foot on my door step again but what you said was true. I was being petty and stubborn, and I needed the lecture you gave me. Because if you hadn’t I would never have asked Clarke for her forgiveness over how I reacted to her pregnancy, and I wouldn’t have the relationship that I do with my Grandson if you hadn’t showed up at my door. I owe you everything” Abby stated.

“I didn’t do it for you” Lexa admitted quietly.

“I know you didn’t. You did it for my daughter, because you loved her”.

Lexa flinched at Abby’s use of the past tense but didn’t correct her.

“And now I’m going to do the same” Abby added making Lexa frown.

“You aren’t going to marry that woman” Abby stated.

Lexa opened her mouth, ready to tell Abby that she had no say in the matter but Abby held up her hand and silenced her.

“I know nothing of your relationship with her and I don’t know Costia, but what I do know is that you do not love her. It’s clear to see, I’ve seen you deeply in love and there isn’t a flicker of the emotion coming from you. I don’t pretend to understand why you accepted the proposal or even why she would think to ask in the first place…”

As Abby spoke, Lexa could feel her temper stirring. She could understand why Abby had wanted to slap her all those years ago because she was starting to feel the same way as Abby continued to try and tell her how she felt.

“You don’t like to admit when you have made a mistake, we all know that, we’ve seen you do it before. But this is one I won’t stand by and watch you make”

Lexa’s temper flared bright at Abby’s words and her blood boiled in her veins, as she listened to Abby go on about her stubbornness and the sheer madness of her engagement. Lexa clenched her hands in to fists as Abby continued to talk about Lexa not knowing Costia and vice versa but it was when Abby brought up her son that Lexa’s temper finally snapped.

“…Aden had no clue who she was, that goes...”

“I’m sorry I don’t feel the need to introduce my son to every person who shares my bed like _some_ people do!” Lexa shouted furiously.

Lexa’s temper drained from her body immediately as she realised what she had said, she knew she had said too much, shown too much! She had kept a lid on her feelings for months but now the words had spilled out and Lexa couldn’t take them back.

Abby shook her head forlornly at Lexa as she watched Lexa sag in dismay before her.

“Oh, hunni” she said.

Tears sprang to Lexa’s eyes at Abby’s pitying tone; she didn’t need anyone’s pity! She was fine, she had moved on! She was the one who was getting remarried! Hanging her head Lexa looked at the floor and bit her lip, the ache in her chest seemed to be growing with every second that passed by.

“That is not what happened, Lexa. And you know it, she asked for your permission to introduce Aden to Finn”.

Lexa ground her teeth together at the name of Clarke’s boyfriend but refused to raise her head and let Abby see the tears in her eyes over the situation.

“She waited for a reply from you. She had Maya check every day to see if you had sent word through Titus, and when you didn’t she took that as a go ahead, that you didn’t care either way what she did”

At that Lexa’s head snapped up.

“I don’t” she said petulantly.

When she had read the forwarded email from Clarke’s personal assistant, Maya, Lexa had been crushed. Reading that, _“Ms Griffin would like Ms Woods permission to introduce their son to Ms Griffin’s partner”,_ had felt like her heart was breaking all over again. She had thought she had solidified her walls where Clarke was concerned, but with a few words they bad crumbled to rubble. For the first time since she started her professional career Lexa had left half way through the work day to go home and drink herself in to oblivion, and she had nearly succeed. But Costia, who had spent many unsuccessful years trying to catch Lexa’s attention, had showed up at her door worried that Lexa had left early from work with no word to anyone. One minute Lexa was yelling at Costia for disturbing her and the next she was pulling her into a drunken embrace that led to Lexa waking up beside Costia the next morning. Lexa had had every intention of telling Costia that she had made a mistake but a part of her thought what the hell, Clarke had moved on why shouldn’t she? And for months Lexa and Costia would meet up after work for drinks which often led back to one of their beds and eventually to their current state of being engaged.

“I sometimes forget how young you are. You act so mature and put together, it’s easy to forget that you are only twenty seven” Abby sighed.

“Lexa, had you told my daughter that you didn’t feel comfortable with Aden meeting Finn, she wouldn’t have done it. All you had to do was reply and none of this would have happened”

Lexa’s jaw ticked to the side at Abby’s words.

“Your daughter can do as she wishes” Lexa said stubbornly.

“So young” Abby sighed again and stood up from her stool.

“If you ever want to talk about it you have us, your family. We have always been here Lexa and we aren’t going anywhere. Saying that, we still aren’t going to stand by and let you marry Costia, not now I think I know why you accepted her proposal” Abby stated.

Feeling suddenly drained of emotion, Lexa shrugged her shoulders uncaringly. Her family could choose to accept Costia or not but at the end of the day it was her life and she was going to do what was best for her.

 

XXX

 

Across town, music blasted through Clarke’s private gym as she watched her body move through the mirrored wall in front her. She could see that she was a second behind to the beat of the music and that her routine was sloppy with no effort put in to it at all. While Raven powered through the routine beside her, her chest heaving from exertion. Clarke’s heart rate had barely sped up and her breathing was no heavier than when they had started. When she missed yet another step, Raven threw her hands up in the air then marched over to her docked phone and turned the music off, plunging the room in to silence.

“Jesus, Clarke. You could save us a lot of time if you got what you needed off of your chest already instead of having me sweat my ass off and exhaust myself for no reason. There’s only one way I like to do those things on my time off, and it sure as shit isn’t going over a routine we have done hundreds of times and know off by heart. We both know why you used a pass and asked me to come on over, talk to me” Raven encouraged.

The pass system had been invented a couple of years before. With Clarke, Raven, Octavia and Harper spending all of their work and most of their personal lives together their friendship had started to dismantle. In the early stages of the band’s career being together constantly had been fun and exciting, but as the years passed and they grew older it had begun to take its toll. Months of fights and fallouts nearly teared them apart and they came close to ending their career. It was only after Octavia had spiked Raven’s water bottle with laxatives one day, and that nearly had Raven soiling herself on stage that the girls realised they had to do something to repair their friendship or break up the band. So they invented the pass system, as a group they decided that when they returned home from long bouts of time together they would have seven days to themselves. They were allowed no contact, just space and time to regroup as individuals and if an emergency arose that needed the support of one of the others, they could use a pass. The one day pass could be used in extreme cases like death of a loved one, serious injury or in Octavia’s words “end of the fucking world”. Clarke had a special three day pass she could use for any important things relating to Aden, and then there was the five day pass that could be used for relationship problems that the girls needed serious help with and that couldn’t wait any longer.

When the fifth day had rolled around, Clarke had called Raven immediately and asked her to come over saying she wanted to go over a routine. Clarke raised her hand and ran it through her hair while shaking her head.

“I’m guessing Anya already told you?” Clarke asked.

Raven nodded then made her way over to the mirrored wall. She placed her back against the wall then slid down until she was sat on the floor with her legs stretched out in front of her.

“We thought you were gonna call as soon as you found out” Raven replied.

Clarke huffed out a laugh while giving Raven a wry look. Harper had once used a day pass because the take out place she used had stopped serving her favourite dish. At any other time the others could have understood Harper’s dismay, but after only getting home from spending seven weeks in each other’s pockets they were not impressed, in retaliation they had uploaded every embarrassing photo they had taken of Harper during their seven weeks together which led to quite a few scandals on social media. The passes were not used lightly after that.

“We would have understood, this is some pretty important shit” Raven said.

Clarke paced left to right in front of Raven, and then back again. Raven watched the blonde as she struggled to find the words to say what she wanted to say. Clarke had spent the past five days trying to reassure Aden that she was ok while feeling like she was being slowly ripped apart inside. One minute she was telling herself that she had to let it go, that Lexa was no longer hers and that what she was feeling was unacceptable. Then the next minute she wanted to smash the place to bits and scream at herself, at Lexa and at their divorce.

As Clarke continued to pace she could feel her heart start to race and her breathing speed up. Left, right, left, right she went and with each step she took her mind repeated the words that seemed to be branded in to her skull.

“Lexa’s engaged” Clarke stated and stopped her pacing to stand in front of Raven.

“She is” Raven agreed as she looked up at Clarke.

“She’s getting married” Clarke added.

“She is” Raven said and waited for the explosion she knew was on its way.

Clarke flared her nostrils while shaking her head then flung her arms up in the air.

“How the fuck did I get here? How is it, my wife is engaged to another woman and I’m in a relationship with someone who isn’t her?” Clarke asked already knowing what had brought them to where they were but needing Raven to confirm it.

Maybe she was being a masochist but she had to hear Raven tell her, to remind her what had happened and why, knowing Raven wouldn’t hold back any punches and spare her feelings like the others would have.

“You fucked up” Raven stated.

“You fell deep down the rabbit hole of fame and listened to the assholes that did nothing but inflate your ego. You turned in to a raging, selfish bitch and got what you deserved when Lexa left your ass”

As Raven spoke tears welled up in Clarke’s eyes then trickled slowly down her cheeks.

“You’re damn lucking she didn’t take your kid with her because you would have deserved that too” Raven added making a sob wretch from Clarke’s mouth.

“We all stood by her when she left you, you know that”

Clarke nodded her acknowledgment while wiping away the tears that continued to stream down her face.

“And you didn’t fight for her when she did; you let her walk out of your life like she didn’t matter. That’s how you ended up here, Clarke. Twenty seven…”

“Twenty six” Clarke corrected.

“With a ten year old son…”

“Nine year old”

“And divorced from the woman you have been madly in love with for nearly twelve years. That’s what confuses the hell out of me, Clarke! You didn’t fight the divorce yet you still love Lexa. Hell you still call her your wife!” Raven pointed out.

“And sure you’re with Finn and I know you care for him but he’ll never come close to what you and Lexa have…”

“Had” Clarke whispered.

“On your part, have. On Lexa’s…” Raven trailed off and shrugged.

“Had” Clarke finished off.

“I’m not sure, she’s hard to read. Especially with the no mentioning you rule she has going on, but then that makes me think she still cares. After three years of being apart you still affect her enough to not be talked about, that has to mean something” Raven said.

Clarke turned her head away to look down at the floor and shook her head regretfully.

“Yeah, that she still hates me” Clarke answered.

“She never hated you, Clarke” Raven corrected.

“Raven, you weren’t there. I can still see the look in her eyes when she handed me the divorce papers. She was disgusted” Clarke whispered.

“Rightfully so too, but that doesn’t mean she hates you”

Clarke raised her hands and gripped her hair between her fingers and gave it a little tug. Raven couldn’t understand what that one look from Lexa had done to her, to see Lexa’s usually sparkling, loving eyes filled with disgust had hurt Clarke more than being asked for the divorce had. Lexa’s eyes were the doors to her soul and with that look, Clarke had known that she had fallen from the pedestal Lexa put her on and cast out. It was why she hadn’t fought for Lexa; there was nothing to fight for in Lexa’s eyes. Instead she had done what Lexa had asked of her and let her go. She accepted that the only communication she had with her was through their assistants and sometimes their family, she accepted the suggestion that they alternate school functions and parent/teachers evenings, and she had accepted Aden’s living arrangements all without a fight. The only time she had considered fighting was when she had received an email from Titus saying Lexa didn’t want Aden to go with Clarke when she went away for work and should stay with her. She had been tempted to contact a lawyer and protest it but the family had sat her down and explained that Lexa only wanted Aden to have a stable place to be so he could attend school and keep his good grades, and once again Clarke had accepted it. But Lexa’s engagement was not something she could accept.

“They’re all at a BBQ right now, you know?” Raven said.

Clarke shook her head that she didn’t in fact know where everyone was.

“Yeah, they want to meet Costia again. O’s there and I was invited too” Raven added.

A lump formed in Clarke’s throat at hearing that her family seemed to want to get to know the woman who Lexa had agreed to marry, she felt an unreasonable stab of betrayal push at her chest.

“Why didn’t you go there then? I could have waited to talk to you Raven” Clarke said.

“Please, from what Anya told me they already dislike the woman. They’re only trying to figure out why Lexa agreed to the proposal. Plus I was ordered here anyway” Raven admitted with a mischievous smile.

“Ordered?” Clarke asked with a frown.

Raven nodded her head.

“Like I said, we thought you would have called sooner and when you didn’t use a one day pass, we realised you were going to do what you always do and just sit back and do nothing again” Raven answered.

“Who’s we? And why would I do anything? What could I do? You just admitted that I deserved what happened, you’re contradicting yourself Raven” Clarke said.

Raven huffed and rolled her eyes as she pushed herself off of the floor and stood up.

“That’s the thing! Sure we agreed with why Lexa left you and stood by her, but we didn’t actually think she would go through with the divorce, Clarke!”

Clarke stood stunned by Raven’s news, it was the first time she had heard that her family didn’t think they would really separate.

“Wh…What?” Clarke stammered

“None of us thought she would! We stood by her thinking she would change her mind once you had some sense knocked back into you with the threat of the divorce, that you would change and fight for her and she would come around. But you two fucking idiots let it all snowball out of control and now we’re finally stepping in” Raven said.

“Who the hell is “ _we”?_ ” Clarke practically shouted while flinging her arms out to the side in anger.

She didn’t like feeling she was being left in the dark over the situation and it seemed a lot had been discussed without her knowledge.

“The family! Indra, Gustus, your Mom, everyone! Lexa is engaged, Clarke. To a woman who isn’t you” Raven pointed out.

“Like I don’t fucking know that, Raven!” Clarke yelled

“It’s all I can think about! My heart, no my soul, my whole fucking body is screaming at me! Telling me that my wife, _my wife,_ is getting remarried” she cried and gripped the front of the t-shirt she was wearing in her hands.

“She’s getting married” Clarke sobbed while rubbing her fisted hands against her chest.

After days of trying to hold herself together Clarke finally broke and let everything she was feeling out. Tears and snot streamed down Clarke’s face as she cried. She raised her hand and used the back of it to try and wipe them away but only ended up spreading them across her face.

“God that’s gross” Raven muttered as she watched Clarke wipe her hand on her t-shirt.

Clarke’s lungs seized in her chest making her hack out small cries of anguish.

“Come here, Princess” Raven sighed sympathetically and opened her arms out wide for Clarke to step in to.

Clarke sagged in to Raven’s open arms and clung to her friend’s back while sobbing in to the crook of her neck.

“It’s ok” Raven cooed.

“Everything is going to be ok” she said while stroking the blonde’s back.

Clarke shook her head that it wasn’t ok and cried harder in to Raven’s neck.

“It will be once you get your head out of your ass and do something about it” Raven said softly.

“What can I do, Raven? It’s been three years” Clarke choked out.

“Fight for her damn it!” Raven snapped.

“She doesn’t want me” Clarke sobbed while stepping out of Raven’s comforting embrace.

“Wrong” Raven stated.

“Lexa doesn’t want the Clarke you were three years ago. But you, the Clarke that you are now, the one she fell in love with, she would die for. You have a choice, Princess. Show her that you have changed and win her back or do nothing and she gets married to this woman and probably starts a family, is that what you want?” Raven asked.

Clarke glowered at her friend’s stupid question. The thought of Lexa having a child with anyone else caused a surge of jealously through Clarke’s body.

“How the hell could I show her that I’ve change? She won’t even say my name! She isn’t going to agree to meet me” Clarke said.

A devious smile stretched across Raven’s face and her eyes twinkled with mischief.

“That is where we step in, we already have a plan” she said.

Clarke sniffled and shook her head.

“There’s that fucking we again” she grunted.

“Hey! We’ve stood back for long enough waiting for you two to get back together on your own. Neither of you realise how you affected everyone else around you, you both used to be so full of life and love, and you used to laugh all of the time. Now, you’re both just surviving. Your lights have gone out and it’s about time you did something to relight them” Raven lectured.

“And _we_ are going to help you” Raven emphasised.

“Why am I the one getting the help?” Clarke asked.

“Cos Lexa’s the one getting engaged” Raven answered like it was an obvious answer.

“I’m with Finn” Clarke said pointing out the flaw in Raven’s thinking.

“Who’s Finn?” Raven asked acting confused, making Clarke roll her eyes.

“Finn’s an ok guy, but can you honestly say that you wouldn’t drop him on the spot if Lexa gave you the tiniest hint that she was interested in giving you another chance?”

Clarke nodded her head and bit her lip then looked away.

“But, Raven. You didn’t see the look she gave m…”

“The old you, Clarke. Again, it wasn’t the you that you are now and when she sees that… well” Raven said while shrugging her shoulders.

A small flicker of hope sparked in Clarke’s chest at Raven’s words. Raven was right, she wasn’t that person anymore, she hadn’t been for a long time and maybe if Lexa could see that their divorce had changed her, she could have a chance to prove she was worth another shot.

“What’s the plan?” Clarke asked curiously.

A wide smile spread across Raven’s face, thinking that Clarke was agreeing to fight for Lexa.

“Aden’s play” Raven said.

Clarke frowned and nodded.

“Is Friday, its Lexa’s turn to go” Clarke stated.

“Yup, since he isn’t singing we all bought tickets to go watch him” Raven said making Clarke chuckle.

A few years ago, Aden’s teacher had given him a singing part in the schools play, thinking that because he was Clarke’s child he would naturally be able to sing. That wasn’t the case; the family had sat through the entire play trying not to wince as Aden murdered song after song. When the play had ended they had been supportive and told him he did great, when he was out of ear shot most of them had warned Clarke that if he ever had a singing part again they weren’t going to go. Thankfully, Aden’s teachers realised he was practically tone deaf and had given him only acting parts since then.

“Marcus may or may not have to stay at work late that night, meaning there will be a spare ticket” Raven added while winking conspiratorially at Clarke.

Clarke scowled at Raven while vehemently shaking her head.

“What you actually mean is that you all want me to ambush her at our son’s play. That’s a shitty thing to do, Raven. No way” Clarke scolded.

“This is the only way, Clarke” Raven sighed.

“It’s in public so there won’t be a scene an…”

“You think there could be a scene?” Clarke asked.

“Of course not, just a precaution. We already know what’s going to happen; you’re going to see each other again and bam!” Raven clapped her hands together to emphasis her point.

“Realise you’ve been morons and decide to give it another shot, then you’ll get remarried and pop out the dozen kids you used to talk about having” Raven predicted.

Clarke sighed and shook her head wearily.

“Real life doesn’t work like that, Raven”.

“Look, what’s the worst that could happen?” Raven asked.

“Erm, she could look at me the way she did back then, cuss me out then walk away. I can’t watch her walk away again, Raven” Clarke said quietly.

“If this doesn’t work and you don’t get back together, you could at least work on being around each other and then you can both go to Aden’s school stuff and not miss out cos it’s Lexa’s turn, wouldn’t that be better?” Raven asked.

Clarke thought for a moment then nodded yes. Whether or not Lexa cared if she had changed, they could at least try and heal the rift between them enough, so that Lexa could sit in the same room as her for an hour or so for their son’s sake. The only down side was Clarke knew that once she saw Lexa again she was going to be consumed by thoughts of her that her life would once again change with Lexa in it.

“It’s worth a try” Raven said with a shrug, seeing that she was losing Clarke.

_I must be fucking crazy_ , Clarke thought but Raven was right, it was worth a shot.

“Okay” Clarke agreed quietly.

“Fuck yes!” Raven exclaimed while punching her fist in the air at getting Clarke to agree.

Indra and Anya had bet her that Clarke wouldn’t accept their plan, that she was as stubborn as Lexa and that they would have to scheme behind their backs to bring them together again. Raven was now $40 richer.

“But!” Clarke quickly added sucking the joy from Raven’s victory.

“I’m not going to just show up out of the blue, that isn’t fair to Lexa. I’m going to let her know I’ll be going too, I’ll have Maya email her first thing Monday morning” Clarke declared firmly.

“That’s even better!” Raven agreed excitedly.

Clarke chuckled lightly and turned to look at herself in the mirrors on the wall. She wasn’t going to go in all guns blazing, fighting for Lexa. She knew, no matter what the family thought, that she had no right to go barging in Lexa’s life and try to lay a claim on a woman who had left her and was engaged to someone else. Instead she was going to just be herself around Lexa; show her that she was the person that she used to be before the fame, fans and fortune had gone to her head. And she’d pray that maybe, just maybe, Lexa would open up enough to let Clarke slip back in to her life. It was going to take time and she knew that she might crash and burn and once again be left out in the cold, but like Raven had said if Clarke did nothing Lexa was going to get married and that was not something Clarke could live with. No, she was going to play the waiting game and try and win her wife back that way. After all she hadn’t wanted to let go in the first place.


	4. Chapter 4

Lexa hurriedly stepped out of the elevator and marched towards her office; after another Monday morning of Aden running late she only had a few minutes to reach her office before she would be late herself. As she approached her office, she ignored the stares that her colleagues were sending her way. Since word had got out that she was engaged to the boss’ daughter, the others at the firm had started to distance themselves from her. The few that had dared to approach her in the first place were now the ones who avoided her, not that Lexa minded of course, she believed that work was a place of business not a social setting to discuss their personal lives and swap baby pictures. So the stares and whispers rolled off of her back as she readied her mind for the coming work day.

With her office door in sight, Lexa sped up and power walked towards it, knowing she was thankfully going to be on time. Seeing his boss approaching, Titus jumped out of his desk chair and rushed towards Lexa before she reached his desk that was placed outside of her office and blocked Lexa’s path. Lexa cocked her eyebrow at Titus disapprovingly and tilted her head to the side questioningly.

“Good morning, Ms Woods” Titus greeted her.

Titus had been Lexa’s assistant since her first year at law school, Clarke had surprised her one evening at dinner by telling her that she had hired Titus for her, to hopefully make her life a little bit easier by alleviating some of the stress she carried on her back. And Clarke had been right, with his efficiency and dedication to his work, Lexa’s life had changed dramatically from chaotic to organised in a matter of days. Titus became invaluable to her and when she had started at the firm she had taken Titus with her, he could be trying at times and often over stepped with his need to advise her but she knew without him her life would be manic, so she had learned to ignore his attempts at guiding her.  

“You’re blocking my way” Lexa replied.

“Yes, Ms Woods. I am, I thought you would like to be informed that Miss Cartwright is waiting in your office for you” Titus said quietly.

Lexa resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead turned her head to the side and inhaled a deep calming breath. She really didn’t have the patience to be dealing with Costia first thing on a Monday morning. After their lunch at her parents, Costia had left to go to her own home and hadn’t contacted Lexa the rest of the weekend, which she had been grateful for. The lunch had been a disaster in Lexa’s opinion, between Costia boasting that she always got what she wanted while pawing at Lexa, her fixated suspicious behaviour towards Abby and her opinions on how children should be raised; Lexa had wanted to call an end to the whole affair and send Costia on her way. Her family hated Costia and didn’t even try to hide the fact, Indra refused to speak to her, Anya sent dig after dig their way and Gustus shook his head every time Costia opened her mouth. Even Aden, her well-mannered son had spent the majority of his time scowling at her.

Lexa turned back to look at Titus and nodded.

“Thank you, Titus. I will take it from here” Lexa said while stepping around her assistant and headed in to her office.

As Lexa walked in to her office, Costia turned in the chair she was sat in to look at Lexa.

“Darling” she greeted.

Lexa sighed and walked around her desk, not taking her eyes off of Costia as she did. Lexa pulled out her desk chair while reaching over to start up her computer; she then sat down in her desk chair and finally greeted Costia.

“Costia” she said.

As her computer whirred to life, Lexa watched as Costia crossed her legs in front of her, leaned forward in her seat and clasped her hands together like she had seen talk show hosts do on TV.

“You are probably wondering why I am here, Darling” Costia said.

Lexa flicked her eyes to her computer screen to check if it was fully powered up yet then shifted her eyes back to Costia.

“Hmm” she said indifferently.

Costia sighed deeply and a distressed expression settled on her face.

“I believe we need to have a frank discussion” Costia said.

Feeling suddenly intrigued by what Costia had to say, Lexa tilted her head and studied the woman sat across from her.

“We do?” she asked curiously.

“Yes, darling. We do” Costia sighed while leaning closer to Lexa’s desk.

“When I proposed to you I did so thinking we were on the same page, thinking we had the same ideologies and outlook on life” Costia said.

Confusion tickled at Lexa’s mind making her brow crease as she looked at Costia.

“And those would be?” she asked warily.

“Business comes first” Costia answered without hesitation.

“But after this weekend I’m starting to question whether we share that common thought. When my father chose you for my life partner I happily agreed, it is no secret how much I have wanted you since you started working here, and the fact that you appeared to be as determined and ambitious as me to climb to the very top I felt we we’re a great fit and I agreed whole heartedly with his choice”

Lexa sat up in surprise at Costia’s announcement.

“I’m sorry, your father chose me?” Lexa asked incredulously.

Costia looked at Lexa in disappointment and shook her head slowly from side to side.

“Of course he did, as did my grandfather choose for him and so on and so forth. For generations it is how my family has strengthened our alliances with other families. I had thought that perhaps you were of the same mind set as us that marriage is yet another business tool but I fear I may have misjudged”

Lexa glowered at Costia; she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had spoken to Anya about people having arranged marriages but she hadn’t though that she was actually entering one herself! Then again she hadn’t given a thought as to why Costia had proposed in the first place.

“After getting to know your family, I can understand why they were hostile and rude towards me during lunch” Costia said.

Lexa raised her chin and leaned back in her chair.

“So you did notice how they were behaving” she stated making Costia chuckle.

“Of course I did. They were hardly being discreet in their contempt of me but I decided to play along and I’m glad I did as the more they interacted with each other the more it dawned on me why they were reacting the way that they were”.

“And?” Lexa asked curiously, wondering what Costia thought she had figured out from her family.

“They are fantasists” Costia answered.

“They are like the rest of society who believe marriage should be based on love, as if a chemical reaction in the brain is a reasonable reason to tie one life to another” she added.

When Lexa had arrived at work that morning she could not have predicted her current circumstances, the more Costia spoke the more appalled yet intrigued she became.

“Marriage is a business contract; it has been since the dawn of time. It is a contract of gain” Costia said.

Lexa’s jaw dropped as she looked at Costia sitting across from her.

“What could you possibly gain from marrying me?” Lexa asked suspiciously.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Costia asked while spreading her hands out questioningly.

“You are on your way to making partner; you probably will be before I am, but marrying me will move that process along drastically. With you as partner and my wife, my family will own the majority of the firm and once I make partner that will increase. I had thought you were on the same page as me with your agreement” Costia explained.

“You thought I had agreed to marry you to boost my career?” Lexa asked wanting Costia to confirm it. 

“Yes” Costia answered immediately.

Lexa’s lips twitched in annoyance, the whole conversation really did prove that Costia didn’t know her as a person. She was determined to reach the top and become partner, but she was going to do it through hard work not through marrying her boss’ daughter!

“But back to why I am here, as I said I think I misjudged you. You’re family are clearly your top priority and I believe you think the same way as them regarding marriage, which has me feeling confused as to why you agreed to my proposal” Costia paused for a second and eyed Lexa

“It wasn’t for love was it?” she asked.

“No!” Lexa exclaimed while vehemently shaking her head.

Costia frowned in confusion and shrugged.

“Then why?” she asked.

Lexa averted her eyes to the computer screen not knowing what she could tell Costia, noticing an email alert she leaned closer to her computer screen and read the subject heading.

**Aden Jake Griffin-Woods.**

Lexa frowned and reached out her hand towards the mouse then double clicked on the notification. Only one person contacted Lexa about Aden through her assistant and after the last email she had received about introducing Aden to Clarke’s boyfriend, Lexa felt dubious about what this email could contain. She forgot about Costia sat waiting for her answer as the email opened and loaded. As she read the brief email, Lexa felt the air in her lungs leave her body and her hand started to shake on the mouse, she re-read the email then swallowed the lump of anger that had formed in her throat.

“Darling, we need to finish our…”

“You need to leave” Lexa choked out.

Costia sat up in her seat while uncrossing her legs and stared at Lexa incredulously.

“We need to have this discussion about our future together” Costia said.

Anger shot through Lexa and she snapped her head around to glare at Costia. Costia shrank back in her seat in surprise and gasped at the rage flashing on Lexa’s face.

“I said leave” Lexa practically growled.

Costia quickly pushed herself out of her chair then hurriedly walked towards the door.

“This is unacceptable behaviour” she said as she left the office but Lexa had already tuned her out and was reading the email she had received again.

**Ms Griffin would like to inform Ms Woods that she will be attending their son’s school play this Friday evening.**

Lexa scanned the words again as anger raced through her. Clarke wasn’t asking her this time, she was telling her and Lexa didn’t like it at all. With shaking hands, Lexa picked up her office phone and dialled Anya’s work number. If anyone knew what Clarke was up to it would be Raven, which meant Anya more than likely knew too.

_If Clarke thinks she can play happy little families with my son she can think again!_ Lexa thought as she listened to the phone ring.

“Anya Woods” Anya greeted after the fourth ring.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Lexa snapped.

Anya sighed when she heard Lexa’s voice, she had been warned about the email Clarke would be sending Lexa and she had anticipated Lexa calling her.

“Good morning to you too little sister” Anya said.

“Well do you? If she thinks for one second that I’m going to sit back while she plays the doting mother in front of her boyfriend she can think again! You tell…”

“Whoa! What the fuck are you talking about?” Anya interrupted.

Lexa’s jaw ticked to the side in agitation.

“Clarke and her boyfriend are coming to Aden’s play on Friday. She can…”

“Stop. Just stop, Lexa” Anya snapped

“I’m guessing you got Clarke’s email?” Anya asked.

Lexa growled in response.

“I did and if…”

“Does it say anything in there about Finn going?” Anya asked calmly.

Lexa’s eyes flicked to the words on her screen and shook her head.

“No but…”

“Then stop jumping to conclusions. Why would you even think that if Clarke hadn’t said it?” Anya asked.

“Because the last email I received from her assistant was about introducing him to Aden and now suddenly she’s deviating from our usual agreement and going to Aden’s play when it is my turn” Lexa answered.

“First of all, Clarke never agreed she just accepted what you wanted there is a difference. And secondly did you stop to think that perhaps Clarke wants to watch the kid in his first major lead role instead of missing out for a change or did you automatically jump to the ridiculous conclusion that Clarke is trying to pass Finn off as some type of father figure?” Anya asked.

“It is obvious she is going to bring him after intro…”

“Jesus, for someone so smart, you act dumb as shit most of the time” Anya interrupted again making Lexa frown in annoyance.

“Finn isn’t going to be there, Lexa. Clarke is going alone” Anya added.

Lexa felt some of her anger drain away at hearing that Clarke wouldn’t be bringing her boyfriend.

“Alone?” she asked unsurely making Anya chuckle down the line.

“Careful, Lexa. You’re sounding a little jealous there” Anya laughed.

“Shut up, Anya. How can you be sure she isn’t bringing him?” Lexa asked.

“She didn’t say so in her email and also it would be impossible since he is across the world touring with his own band. See you would know that if you actually listened to anything concerning Clarke” Anya admonished.

Lexa sagged in her seat and closed her eyes in relief at hearing that the boyfriend wouldn’t be there on Friday.

“She’s really going to be there?” Lexa asked quietly.

“Yeah, I know how hard this is gonna be for you Lexa. But you have to suck it up and deal with it; you have a few days to get used to the idea. This day was bound to come and now that it has you need to accept it like she has with all of your conditions” Anya said.

Lexa nodded slowly even though she knew Anya couldn’t see her.

“If you need to talk abou…”

“I don’t” Lexa interrupted quickly.

Clearing her throat and opening her eyes, Lexa stared at the email on her computer screen.

“Thank you, but I don’t” she added coolly.

Anya sighed at Lexa’s tone knowing that her sister was about to shut off like she did in most emotionally stressful situations concerning a certain blonde.

“We’re going to meet up for lunch one day this week, ok? I’ll have my secretary work things out with your guard dog” Anya stated.

“Ok” Lexa replied coldly making Anya sigh.

“I’ll talk to you later, Lexa. Deal with this, don’t try and ignore it, please” Anya pleaded.

Lexa continued to stare at the email and blinked slowly. She was going to see Clarke again, after three years she was going to see the woman who had hurt and broken her and Lexa didn’t know how she was meant to “deal” with it.

“Lexa?” Anya called down the phone.

Lexa cleared her throat and raised her chin.

“It’s ok, I’m ok” she lied unconvincingly but she was determined to find a way to make it so somehow.

 

XXX

 

It was the day before Aden’s play and Clarke was sat in a hair and makeup chair while a hair stylist applied pink dye to the ends of her blonde hair.

“Are you sure it’s only temporary?” Clarke asked for the third time.

“Sure” the stylist huffed while adding more of the dye to Clarke’s hair.

“Relax, Princess. I think we look cool” Octavia said from the chair to Clarke’s left.

Clarke turned her head slightly to the side so she could see Octavia and scowled.

“That’s because the rest of you are only having braids done while my hair is being changed colour” Clarke replied.

“It’s different that’s for sure, but I like it” Harper said from Octavia’s other side

“It beats the usual preppy, girl next door shoots they have us do” she added.

“Yeah, we look edgy and badass” Raven said from Clarke’s right side.

Clarke faced the mirror on the vanity in front of her and had to grudgingly agree, they did look kinda badass with the braids and dye.

“Anyone remember what this shoot is for?” Clarke asked quietly, getting murmurs of no from the others.

“It’s for a new music magazine that’s being published, you’ll be on the cover of the first issue” Maya answered as she hovered near Clarke in case she needed anything.

“Any idea who the photographer is?” Raven asked as she watched her own assistant walk around aimlessly through the mirror on her vanity.

“I’d ask Jasper but he’s fucking useless” Raven growled.

Seeing Maya flinch, Clarke kicked out her leg and gave a hard jab to Raven’s shin.

Despite having an eye liner pen dangerously close to her eye, Raven snapped her head to the left and glared at Clarke.

“Dude, what the fuck?” she exclaimed.

Clarke furrowed her brow while silently mouthing “Maya” to Raven. Raven’s shoulders dropped in guilt as her make-up artist turned her head to face forward.

“Shit, I’m sorry Maya. I know he’s your boyfriend and he isn’t that bad really, he brings coffee which is always good in my book” Raven said apologetically.

“It’s ok, I know what he’s like” Maya sighed as she turned to watch Jasper, who was still walking around doing nothing.

“I’m grateful you even gave him this chance, Raven. The photographer is a guy called Murphy, I looked at some of his other work and he’s really good” Maya answered Raven’s original question.

As Raven and Maya talked, Clarke reached out and pressed the home button on her phone to check the time.

“Maya?” Clarke asked.

Maya shuffled the devices she seemed to always be attached to, until she had her phone then checked Clarke’s personal email account.

“Ok, what gives?” Harper asked.

“Huh?” Clarke replied.

“That’s like the fourth time you’ve asked Maya something without actually asking her anything” Harper pointed out.

“She’s right” Octavia added

“Seems to be nearly every half an hour too”

Clarke huffed through her nose and shook her head.

“Keep still” her hair stylist ordered while grabbing a hold of Clarke’s head to hold it in place.

“For fucks sake” Clarke muttered under her breath.

“There’s nothing” Maya answered once she had finished checking Clarke’s emails.

Clarke sagged in her chair in frustration.

“Well?” Harper asked, seeing Clarke’s reaction to Maya’s answer.

“I’m waiting for a reply from Lexa” Clarke answered.

“She still hasn’t replied?” Octavia asked.

“No” Clarke sighed.

“Maybe it’s because you didn’t give her anything to reply to. You told her you are going, end of conversation” Harper theorised.

“An acknowledgement would be nice. I’m feeling nervous as hell over it” Clarke admitted.

“You’re not the only one” Raven piped in.

“What do you mean?” Clarke asked while trying to turn her head to look at Raven, but was once again held back by the hair stylist tugging at her head.

Through the mirror in front of her, Raven looked around the place buzzing with people rushing around trying to get everything in place for the photo shoot, then eyed the stylists around them who all seemed to be too invested in the girls conversation.

“Let’s get lunch after here and talk” Raven said.

“But…” Clarke began to protest.

“The walls have eyes and ears” Octavia muttered, noticing her own hair stylist edging closer to Clarke.

Clarke looked through her mirror and understood what Octavia meant, her hair stylist was trying to be discreet but she was definitely listening hoping to get some gossip on the band. Clarke huffed and rolled her eyes, she hated this part of her life.

“Fine, I guess” she agreed and sat still with no complaints as the hair stylists seemed to tug harder on her hair. 

 

~~

 

Four hours later, they were being shown to their seats at their favourite café that they were regulars at. The place was small but well lit, thanks to the three walls of windows, and it had a nice, relaxed atmosphere that the girls enjoyed after a busy day. The fact that the tables were placed spaciously apart from the other diners and gave them some privacy to talk was also a reason they frequented the café.

“I knew it wouldn’t come out” Clarke grumbled as a wisp of pink hair fell in to her face as she sat down.

“It’s been washed once, Clarke. Do it again when you get home” Octavia suggested.

“I have to pick Aden up from school looking like this” Clarke complained.

“Speaking of, we need to hurry this up. I don’t have much time” she added.

“Wow, how nice of you. We come out for a friendly lunch and you can’t wait to get away” Raven joked making Clarke roll her eyes and smile at her friend.

“Seriously, I have an hour if that before I have to leave Raven. What did you mean with “you’re not the only one”? Have you seen Lexa?” Clarke asked hopefully.

The last few days had had Clarke’s stomach tied up in knots since Maya had sent the email. From waiting for a reply and going over every scenario of what could happen when they saw each other, Clarke felt like she had gained a few grey hairs from the stress of it all.

“No I haven’t, but Anya had lunch with her yesterday after Lexa’s freak out” Raven replied.

“Freak out?” Harper asked before Clarke could.

Clarke scowled in Harper’s direction then quickly shifted her attention back to Raven.

“Yeah, after Lexa read Clarke’s email she called Anya going on about trying to play happy families or something along those lines. I dunno, she jumped to some stupid conclusion that you were taking Finn to watch Aden’s play, and well let’s just say Lexa did not like that idea” Raven said to Clarke.

Clarke spread out her hands questioningly and frowned.

“Why would she think that? There wasn’t anything about Finn in the email” Clarke said confusedly.

“I know, she thought after the last email about introducing Aden to Finn that he would be there for some reason. She leapt pretty fucking far thinking you were playing house with him” Raven explained.

“But I’m not, I’m…”

“I know” Raven interrupted

“Anya explained it all to Lexa and calmed her down. She now knows you’ll be there on your own” she added.

“So why does Anya think she is nervous too?” Octavia asked as their regular orders were placed in front of them without them even having to order.

That part of her life Clarke definitely liked.

“Their lunch yesterday” Raven replied while shoving fries in to her mouth.

“Anya said Lexa was being all twitchy and closed off”.

Clarke scowled and ignored the food in front of her.

“Closed off?” she asked worriedly.

“She sometimes does that when you’re mentioned” Harper explained.

“You can actually see her do it, it’s like a shutter drops over her. It’s amazing to watch really” she added.

“Or she goes in the opposite direction and blows up” Octavia said.

Clarke slumped back in her chair in disappointment, she knew Lexa didn’t like to talk about her but the others hadn’t told her before how Lexa reacted when they did mention her name. She didn’t like hearing that Lexa had such a drastic reaction to the mere mention of her name, it made her want to curl up in a ball and cry.

“I don’t think I should go to Aden’s play” Clarke whispered.

Octavia, Harper and Raven shot up in their chairs in protest and spoke at the same time.

“Like hell!”

“Why not?”

“I’ll fucking drag you there” were all thrown at Clarke.

“Guys, she obviously still has a problem with me an…” Clarke began to say.

“Married! Kids!” Raven reminded Clarke, making her glare at Raven.

“She still…”

“Cares about you” Octavia interrupted.

“O!” Raven hissed.

Clarke shifted her eyes rapidly between her friends and frowned.

“What makes you say that?” Clarke asked warily.

Raven shook her head vehemently at Octavia while Harper averted her eyes, trying not to be included in the conversation.

“Guys!” Clarke exclaimed.

Octavia leaned on the table towards Clarke and smiled.

“Something was said to your Mom at the bbq” she said.

“Octavia!” Raven admonished.

“I’m not going to tell you what cos it’s not for me to tell” Octavia explained slowly while side eyeing Raven.

“But it’s good! Proves Lexa still cares” Harper added gleefully.

Hope instantly spread through Clarke making her mouth twitch in to a smile, though a small piece of doubt niggled in her mind.

“Give me a hint of what she said?” Clarke asked hopefully.

“No!” Raven answered

“They have already said enough. Clarke we can’t do all the work for you two, if you really want to try again with Lexa you have to figure it out on your own” she added.

“And quickly” Octavia said.

“I’ve met Costia and I can tell you she is all kinds of wrong for Lexa. One, for the simple fact that she isn’t you and also cos she’s a total bitch. She mocked me, Clarke” Octavia explained petulantly.

“Mocked you?” Clarke asked.

“All of us actually” Octavia replied making Harper and Raven frown in displeasure.

“All of us?” Harper asked.

Octavia nodded her head.

“She made out that being in a girl band was somehow beneath her, she soon shut up when I told her the name of our band” Octavia answered smugly.

“Bitch” Harper mutter while Raven high fived Octavia.

“She was also weirdly suspicious of your Mom” Octavia said to Clarke.

“Suspicious?” Clarke asked.

“Hmm” Octavia said while putting a forkful of salad in her mouth then chewed and swallowed it.

“She was trying to figure out why Abby was there at a family bbq, also she has no idea that you’re Lexa’s ex-wife” Octavia said making Clarke flinch at the ex-wife part.

“That doesn’t surprise me” Clarke muttered as she pushed the food around on her plate with her fork.

“What will surprise you is that Costia had no idea that Lexa is adopted” Octavia chuckled.

“Seriously?” Harper laughed.

“Yup, she knows nothing about Lexa and vice versa. It’s all shades of messed up but now we know why Lexa accepted the proposal it makes a little sense I guess. Ouch!” Octavia exclaimed feeling the toe of Raven’s shoe connect with her shin.

Raven widened her eyes warningly at Octavia as Clarke dropped her fork on to her plate and zeroed in on Octavia.

“You know why Lexa agreed to marry her?” Clarke asked incredulously.

“Yes. But!” Octavia said when she saw that Clarke was about to ask her the reason why.

“It isn’t for me to tell and you have to find out on your own” Octavia explained quickly.

Clarke slammed her palms down on to the table, drawing the other diner’s attention to their table.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she exclaimed.

Octavia shook her head and Harper chuckled.

“You knew this wasn’t going to be easy, Clarke. And we can only help so much. Just be there at six tomorrow for Aden’s play, I don’t think you’ll forgive yourself if you didn’t” Raven said making Clarke slouch in her chair.

“I hate you all” Clarke muttered knowing she would be at Aden’s school without doubt now that she had some sense of hope.

 

~~

Clarke sat in her car, in Aden’s school car park, looking in her rear view mirror checking to make sure that all of her blonde hair was tucked tightly into the red wig she was wearing. She wore a disguise every time she attended one of Aden’s school functions, she and the others had once turned up as themselves and pandemonium had ensued. No one seemed to care that the night was about the kids anymore it was all about Sky Girls, so from that night on disguises were worn and the anonymity was freeing for them all.

Clarke stared in to her eyes in the mirror and inhaled deeply, she had been trying to prepare herself all week for the night. She had taken to working out for longer hours with her personal trainer hoping it would help her sleep at night, but it hadn’t worked and she had slept fitfully all week. She had tried drinking copious amounts of calming tea hoping it would calm the constant shaking of her hands but instead she had only ended up going to the toilet more often looking like she had a bladder problem. She had tried relaxation music, meditation, massages and wine. Anything she thought could help her relax, Clarke had tried but nothing had worked. Her stomach felt like a herd of buffalo was stampeding around, her heart felt like it was going to give out with how fast it was beating, her lungs seemed incapable of pulling in more than little bits of air making Clarke feel like she was gasping more than breathing. Sweat pooled on her upper lip and in her palms, and she had a pain in her neck from how tense she was holding her shoulders. She was a mess and the closer the clock ticked to her having to get out of the car the worse she felt. She was going to see Lexa again! She had tried to think of every possible scenario of how the night could go, but every one she thought of all ended with her in tears and apologising for the past.

Clarke was a strong woman. She was independent, confident and strong willed, yet thinking about walking in to the school in front of her made her feel like she was going to vomit. She knew that seeing Lexa again was going to break her but it was something she had to do! Something she should have done a long time ago.

_You can do this_ , she thought and nodded at her reflection.

With one last glance at her hair, Clarke reached out for the door handle and opened the car door. She quickly climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut behind her. Clarke stood beside her car and watched the parents of the other children enter the school talking excitedly to one another. Usually Clarke felt that same excitement, seeing Aden up on stage always made her feel so proud of him but her excitement was being overshadowed by her anxiety and worry.

Clarke nibbled on her bottom lip as she watched more people enter the school; she swallowed thickly and inhaled deeply through her nose.

_Here we go. One foot in front of the other_ , she thought and began to walk towards Aden’s school.

She took slow, small, unsteady steps and shook her hands out by her sides. She was really doing this! She was really about to walk in to a building that Lexa was in and she was going to see her again! With each step, Clarke’s stomach rolled.

_I’m not going to throw up! I am not going to throw up!_ She repeated in her head like a mantra as she walked.

Clarke felt a bead of sweat drip slowly between her shoulder blades as she stepped up on to the pavement in front of the school.

“I wondered how long it was going to take you”.

Clarke jumped in fright at the voice that came from beside her and raised her hand to her already racing heart.

“Mom!” she sighed while her shoulders sagged in relief.

Clarke turned to face Abby, her brow furrowed in worry.

“How long were you watching me?” Clarke asked.

“Since you got here” Abby answered softly.

“And you didn’t think to come help me out?” Clarke grumbled.

“I did, but you had to take the first steps on your own” Abby replied.

Clarke nodded and bit down on her lower lip while turning her head to look at the school’s entrance.

“How are you doing?” Abby asked worriedly.

Clarke turned to look at Abby again, tears slowly pooled in her eyes making them shimmer brightly in the light coming from the school.

“Oh sweetie” Abby sighed sympathetically while reaching out to pull Clarke in to a comforting hug.

Clarke shook her head rapidly from side to side and took a step back from Abby.

“Please, don’t. If you do, I’m going to break down and I’m trying my hardest not to do that. I need to keep it together so I can walk in there” Clarke explained while Abby let her arms drop to her sides.

Abby nodded in acceptance and smiled understandingly.

“Is she already here?” Clarke asked with both hope and fear in her voice.

“She is” Abby replied

“I was waiting for you, to take you to where we are standing. Everyone else is already inside” she explained.

Clarke nodded her head and turned towards the school.

“Best not keep them waiting any longer then huh” she said quietly then began the rest of the walk towards the school.

Clarke let out a shaky breath as she approached the school’s entrance.

“You’re doing so well, sweetie” Abby encouraged as they reached the entrance.

Clarke’s bottom lip trembled as she passed through the school’s doors and her heart seemed to shake in her chest. The hallway was full of people chatting away to each other loudly, everyone wanting to be heard over the others as they spoke to their friends.  Abby stepped around Clarke and took the lead.

“We’re near the auditorium doors. Gustus wanted to get front row seats” she said while stepping around people trying not to bump in to the other people around them.

Clarke nodded and followed closely behind Abby as she led the way. As they walked closer to the auditorium doors, Clarke saw Gustus towering over everyone else. She then noticed Lincoln with Octavia by his side and carried on following behind Abby while looking around the rest of the people gathered near the doors. She saw Anya, Indra, Harper and then she saw her. Clarke stalled to a halt, the breath rushed out of her lungs leaving her breathless and her heart skipped a beat as she saw Lexa for the first time in three years.

Clarke watched raptly as Lexa scanned the crowd around, seeming to be looking for someone, and then Lexa noticed Abby and her eyes shot to look behind her. Lexa scanned the people that were stood around Clarke, her eyes passed over Clarke and she felt a sob catch in her throat that Lexa had ignored her and was obviously looking for someone else. But then Lexa stopped her search of the crowd and frowned, she quickly turned her head back in Clarke’s direction and locked eyes with Clarke.

Blue met green across a crowded hallway, reminding Clarke of the first time they saw each other in high school. It was a cliché, but Clarke felt the rest of the world disappear as she looked in to Lexa’s eyes. The loud chatter and the bumping bodies all vanished as she gazed at the woman she had been in love with for nearly half of her life.

Lexa’s mouth dropped open and her throat bobbed noticeably as she stared at Clarke.

Clarke blinked rapidly, she felt the shaking in her hands ease as she gazed in to moss green eyes and her mouth drained dry as a desert. She took a small, unconscious step towards Lexa as she scanned her features. Lexa’s cheekbones were more prominent, and so was her jawline since she had last seen her. Clarke dropped her gaze to Lexa’s lips and licked her own, they were still as plump as she remembered and she knew that if she stepped closer she would be able to make out the small freckle on the bow of Lexa’s upper lip. Clarke took another small step towards Lexa, her eyes raking over Lexa’s body taking in the black, tailored slacks and white button up shirt as she did. She raised her eyes to look in to Lexa’s again and saw a sheen of tears covering them. Clarke felt a sudden urge to take Lexa in her arms and comfort the tears away. She inhaled a stuttering breath to try and dampen the urge knowing she couldn’t possibly do what her body was telling her to do.

Clarke watched Lexa’s eyes widen, seeming to be able to read what Clarke was thinking. Lexa took a tiny step towards her and Clarke felt hope flare throughout her, her heart seemed to float in her chest as Lexa stepped closer to her. Then her hopes were dashed as Lexa seemed to come back to reality, as Harper had described the day before, Clarke saw Lexa’s shutter drop.

Lexa blinked rapidly then raised her chin and stepped back in to her original place. Her face hardened in to stone and her posture turned rigid.

Clarke felt her heart breaking in her chest as she watched Lexa shutting down, she felt like turning around and fleeing but then she looked in to Lexa’s eyes and she felt her hope reignite and her heart stop it’s fracturing. Lexa’s body and expression may have being sending signals of rejection but her eyes glimmered with emotion, and she was still absorbing every inch of Clarke.

Clarke felt a small smile twitch at her lips. Yes, Lexa’s eyes were definitely the windows to her soul and they weren’t closed off like Clarke had feared they would be. They gave Clarke the strength to put one foot in front of the other and walk to join the rest of her family.

As she reached them, Clarke saw Lexa’s nostrils flare and her throat bob rapidly. She stopped in front of Lexa and shifted her eyes between Lexa’s own. She licked her lips slowly to try and moisten them and didn’t miss how Lexa’s gaze dropped to follow the action then quickly snap up to look back in to Clarke’s eyes. Clarke cleared her throat then opened her mouth to speak before quickly closing it again, she swallows thickly to try and rid herself of the lump that had formed in her throat then tried again.

“Lexa” she whispered tenderly. 

Lexa’s eyes widened a little and her jaw twitched to the side. Clarke noticed her chest heaving up and down, and her lips seemed to tremble slightly.

“Clarke” Lexa replied her voice cracking on the word.

Clarke felt emotion pool heavily in her chest at hearing Lexa say her name. No one said it like Lexa did and hearing her say it again made Clarke feel like she was going to cry with happiness. Clarke pulled her upper lip in between her teeth and inhaled deeply. She couldn’t drag her eyes away from Lexa’s; she never wanted to go as long as she had without looking in to the deep green pools before her.

Lexa swept her eyes over Clarke’s wig and frowned slightly making Clarke raise her hand self-consciously to push some of the strands behind her ear.

“That wig is awful” Anya said breaking the connection that Clarke and Lexa had.

Clarke turned her head in the direction Anya’s voice had come from and blinked rapidly. She looked around the group and saw them all staring at her and Lexa who were standing rather close to one another. Clarke quickly backed away then sent a quick look at Lexa then sighed in disappointment when she found her staring down at the floor.

“Yeah, it’s not the best that you have” Octavia added confusedly.

“You should have gone with the long, black one. That really makes your eyes pop” Raven advised.

Clarke rolled her eyes in annoyance at her friends.

“A plus on the outfit though” Harper said, murmurs of agreement came from the others.

Clarke had finally settled on grey ripped jeans with a thin black sweater and ankle boots, after raiding her closest for most of the afternoon.

“True, but seriously the wig” Raven said.

Clarke noticed Lexa scowling at them in displeasure and sighed. She looked at the others choices in wigs and smiled, Raven had chosen a long platinum blonde one that clashed amazingly with her skin, Harper had a shoulder length chestnut colour wig. Instead of a wig Octavia had chosen to wear brown contacts, the difference wasn’t huge but when fans were looking for certain features a change in the colour of their eyes could put them off of their scent.

“She looks fine” Indra stated firmly bringing the conversation to an end.

Clarke shifted her attention back to Lexa who seemed to be avoiding looking at her.

“Oh, the doors are opening” Gustus told them excitedly.

The group quickly headed towards the auditorium doors and queued up, Lexa stood in front of Clarke and next to Abby while Raven sidled up next to her.

“You couldn’t have made more of an effort?” Raven criticised quietly.

Clarke frowned and shook her head.

“This wig always stops people from noticing me, Raven. You know that. Plus Lexa still recognised me anyway” she replied.

“Yeah, but you could have had her drooling over you instead of thinking “What the hell died on Clarke’s head”” Raven mimicked quietly in a voice that was meant to sound like Lexa’s but failed miserably.

“Shut up, Raven” Clarke snapped making Lexa and the rest of the family turn to look at them.

Clarke caught Lexa’s eye and smiled apologetically but Lexa only shook her head in reproach then turned forward and began to follow Indra and Gustus in to the auditorium.

“Shit, sorry” Raven said catching the look Lexa had sent Clarke.

Clarke shoulders slumped and she sighed disappointedly.

“It’s ok. It’s not going as bad as I thought it was going to” she replied.

“It’s going great” Octavia whispered from behind them.

Clarke looked over her shoulder and smiled gratefully at her friend.

“Yeah?” she asked.

Lincoln nodded reassuringly from beside Octavia. 

Clarke smiled again then turned her head back. When it was their groups turn to enter, Indra handed over a bulk of tickets and they quickly stepped through the open doors and made their way down the aisle. Lexa had moved to walk in front of Abby while Clarke walked behind her mother.

“There are seats at the front, hurry up!” Gustus ordered them and barged forward making people rush to move out of his way.

“There are only five seats available” he grumbled when they reached the front row.

“We’ll sit behind you” Lincoln said while gesturing to himself, Octavia, Raven, Anya and Harper.

Gustus nodded his acceptance then marched towards the available seats and chose the one farthest to the right and staked his claim by sitting down. Indra sat next to him on his left then Lexa, and Abby then finally Clarke.

Clarke glanced over her shoulder and watched as the others rearranged themselves in the seats directly behind them.

“There’s definitely no singing right?” Harper asked making the others chuckle.

“No, not as far as we know” Lexa answered.

“Thank god” Anya replied.

“Shh!” Gustus ordered as the lights began to slowly dim.

“So he is like this at every play then” Clarke mused and the others laughed amusedly.

An elbow suddenly jabbed painfully in to Clarke’s bicep, she whipped her head round to glare at the person sitting beside her.

“Sorry” the woman muttered apologetically to Clarke.

Clarke smiled tightly while rubbing at her arm, she groaned inwardly when the woman scrunched her brow in recognition but seem to be unable to place where she knew Clarke from. Clarke quickly turned her head away and raised her left hand to shield her face from the woman’s eyes. She turned her head further to the right away from the woman and noticed Lexa’s head quickly jerk to face the stage in front of them and away from Clarke’s direction.

_She was looking at me_ , Clarke thought happily.

“Welcome!” echoed from the stage.

Clarke sat up in her chair and focused on the person who was now standing in the centre of the stage.

“Ooo Miss Niylah” Raven muttered appreciatively.

Clarke glanced over her shoulder and chuckled at her friend.

“Do you mind? I’m sat right here” Anya hissed.

“Be quiet!” was snapped from the row behind Anya’s.

Anya spun in her seat and glared at the person behind her, who shrank back in fear at the icy glare.

Clarke looked back towards the stage as Aden’s teacher continued with her opening speech. She listened to Niylah tell them about how hard the children had worked on the play and hoped that they enjoyed the production but Clarke’s attention kept shifting to her right towards Lexa and tried to discreetly watch her.

Lexa was sat rigidly in her seat, her left knee bounced up and down and her hands were pressed firmly together between her thighs. Clarke watched as Abby reached out her right hand and squeezed Lexa’s knee comfortingly then turned her hand to face palm upwards for Lexa to hold. Lexa slipped her left hand from between her thighs and latched on to Abby’s hand like it was a life line. That’s when Clarke finally noticed the sparkling diamond on Lexa’s ring finger and she felt nauseous all over again. Tears swamped her eyes as she stared at the huge rock, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and she bit her lip hard. She was unable to tear her eyes away from the offending item; it didn’t suit Lexa at all. It was flashy and gaudy and Clarke would never have picked something like that for Lexa. When they had finally been able to afford rings they had chosen polar opposites to the one that was now placed on Lexa’s finger.

 

+++

 

_A bell rang above their heads as Clarke and Lexa opened the door to the fifth pawn shop they had looked in that day. When they entered the cashier looked up at them then quickly dismissed them and went back to serving the customer in front of him._

_“I don’t like this” Lexa stated for the tenth time that day as she held on to Aden’s hands, who was strapped to her chest in a front facing carrier._

_“I know you don’t, baby. But you are the one that’s insisting we have rings” Clarke replied as they moved over to the glass cabinets that housed the store’s collection of rings._

_“When I said that I thought we could get nice ones, not second hand ones that probably won’t even match” Lexa complained._

_Clarke stood in front of the glass cabinet then turned to look at Lexa and sighed._

_“Your parents offered to buy us rings, Lexa. And you turned them down” Clarke pointed out._

_Lexa averted her eyes while her jaw ticked to the side._

_“They already pay our rent. I want to buy the rings for us” Lexa explained._

_Clarke knew Lexa had been working harder than usual at the coffee shop, trying to earn extra tips so they could afford to buy rings for their wedding. Clarke sighed softly as she raised her hands to cup Lexa’s cheeks and made her look at her again._

_“I understand, baby” Clarke replied tenderly_

_“And one day when you graduate from law school and get a fancy job in a big firm, you’re going to buy me the biggest ring we can afford” Clarke stated with a cheeky grin making Lexa chuckle._

_Clarke gazed in to Lexa’s eyes while Aden kicked at her chest between them._

_“We’ll take a quick look around and if we don’t find something we like, we’ll forget the rings and save the money for something else ok?” Clarke asked._

_Lexa grudgingly nodded and then turned to examine the rings in the glass cabinet while holding down Aden’s legs so he couldn’t kick at the display._

_“Can we at least look at the matching ones first?” she asked._

_Clarke smiled affectionately and rolled her eyes. Lexa really wanted them to have the same rings and so did she, but Clarke knew the likely hood of that happening in a pawn shop was slim but she humoured Lexa anyway._

_“Sure, but remember that we have a budget that we can’t go over. We still need to go grocery shopping” Clarke warned._

_Lexa pouted and grunted at her acknowledgment while moving around the cabinets, looking at the rings inside. Clarke chuckled softly and followed closely behind, when Lexa stopped at a display case Clarke placed her chin on Lexa’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around Lexa’s waist._

_“What have you seen?” Clarke asked._

_Lexa sighed deeply in dismay and leaned her head against Clarke’s._

_“There are three sets of matching rings but they are all out of our budget” Lexa replied sadly._

_Clarke dropped her arms from around Lexa’s waist and moved to stand beside Lexa and looked in the case._

_“Ok, so we either find some others or leave and don’t have them” Clarke offered._

_“Maybe we could go a little over budget…” Lexa began to say._

_“No” Clarke interrupted firmly_

_“Lexa, I know how much you want these, really I do. But I know you, and if we go over budget you’ll work you ass off harder then you have been so we get the money back. But, baby” Clarke took a hold of Lexa’s right hand in her left and smiled lovingly at her._

_“I would rather have you home and well rested than have a couple of rings match. They aren’t important; what is, is how we feel and a metal circle isn’t going to change that” Clarke said._

_Lexa’s eyes shifted between Clarke’s trying to see if she could change her mind, and when she saw the determined gleam in Clarke’s eyes she huffed._

_“No matching rings it is then” Lexa grumbled._

_“Good choice” Clarke laughed while giving Lexa’s hand a quick squeeze._

_“I just want to give you what you deserve, Clarke” Lexa explained miserably_

_“You deserve the world and all I can give you is a trailer, second hand wedding ring and a wedding without dresses”._

_Clarke felt her heart ache at Lexa’s words, the thought of Lexa thinking that she didn’t have everything she wanted truly hurt Clarke._

_Clarke raised her hands and placed them on Lexa’s collarbones, she glanced down at Aden who was gurgling away in his carrier then looked deeply in to Lexa’s eyes._

_“I already have the world, and you gave it to me” Clarke whispered while stroking her hands on Lexa’s chest._

_“First when you told me that you love me and then by giving us Aden. You two are my world, Lexa. Having money or a better house isn’t going to change that” Clarke stated._

_Lexa’s face softened tenderly as a small smile spread on her lips._

_“You’re my world too” Lexa whispered_

_“But I still want us to have rings” she added with a smirk making Clarke giggle._

_Clarke slapped her hands lightly on Lexa’s chest then leaned down to press a quick kiss to Aden’s cheek._

_“Ok, let’s check out what they have in our budget” Clarke said as they began their search again._

_Fifteen minutes later, Clarke glanced over at Lexa who was stood silently studying a display of rings on the other side of the shop. She walked over to join Lexa and stroked her hand across Lexa’s shoulder blades as she stood beside her._

_“What have you found?” Clarke asked._

_“I think I may have found our rings” Lexa replied not taking her eyes off of the rings she had found in the case._

_Clarke raised her brows in surprise and glanced over the rings inside the case, her eyes scanned the silver and gold until a speck of green grabbed her attention. She nudged Lexa aside with her hip and leaned closer to get a better look at the ring. It was a silver band that had two hands holding a green heart with a crown placed on top._

_“Oh my god, that’s the one” Clarke said while tapping her blunt nail against the glass, instantly falling in love with the ring._

_Lexa chuckled and smiled happily._

_“That’s the one I thought you would like, it’s a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty and the heart love” Lexa explained_

_“Plus green is your favourite colour” she added._

_“The colour of your eyes” Clarke awed as she stared at the ring._

_Lexa laughed softly while slipping her arm around Clarke’s waist._

_“Please tell me it’s in our budget. You haven’t teased me with this knowing I’d want it but can’t afford it” Clarke pleaded._

_Lexa grinned at Clarke then placed a kiss to her shoulder._

_“It is, and so is the ring I’ve seen that I like” she answered._

_Clarke turned to scan the rings again, hers eyes squinted as she searched for the one she thought Lexa might have chosen. She scanned the case twice looking for the ring and nearly missed it the third time as well but she eventually spotted the ring. It was a thin bronze band with a hammered effect that had three tiny inset diamonds. It was different from anything else in the case and the rugged yet polished ring suited Lexa completely._

_Clarke bit her lip excitedly and tapped her nail on the glass to indicate which ring she thought Lexa had chosen. She looked at Lexa expectantly; who looked stoically back at her then broke out in to a grin a few seconds later._

_“You know me too well” Lexa teased._

_“It’s beautiful” Clarke said_

_“I love the little diamonds” she added._

_Lexa nodded while pulling Clarke closer in to her side and held on to one of Aden’s hands._

_“Three. You, me and Aden” Lexa explained._

_Clarke beamed at Lexa and felt happiness engulf her. She leaned towards Lexa and placed a quick kiss to Lexa’s lips then turned to look at the rings again._

_“They are unique like us, and I love them” she sighed._

_“They will probably turn our fingers green in a week” Lexa laughed as they made their way to the cashier to purchase their rings._

_Lexa was right, a week after their wedding, both of them sported green tinged lines around their ring fingers but Clarke didn’t care. She made a make shift barrier on the inside of the rings and wore hers for the rest of their marriage._

 

+++

 

Clarke reluctantly dragged hers eyes away from Lexa’s ring and pulled at her bottom lip with her teeth. She decided to concentrate on what was happening on the stage and not on the offending item that seemed to be mocking her.

“He’s here” Gustus told them when Aden stepped out from the wings and on to the stage to act out his scene.

He stepped to the front of the stage to recite his line to the audience but unexpectedly stopped with his mouth hanging open when he spotted Clarke sitting in the front row with Lexa. The audience began to murmur, thinking Aden had forgotten his lines. Clarke realised that she should have perhaps told Aden that she was going to be there instead of leaving it as a surprise for him, which she had successfully achieved. Clarke sat up in her seat worriedly, hoping she hadn’t ruined the play for him. Aden switched his head from left to right to look at Lexa then Clarke and suddenly a huge ecstatic smile spread across his face. He raised both of his hands and waved animatedly at Clarke and Lexa making the audience chuckle.

Clarke’s eyes filled with tears at seeing how happy Aden was at seeing her and Lexa there at the same time. She turned her head to look at Lexa and found her trying to hold back her own emotions to Aden’s reaction. Clarke turned back to look at the stage and saw Aden pointing them out to his classmates.

“They’re my Moms” he said then waved again in their direction.

Some of the other parents made sounds of delight at how Aden was acting while others laughed. Clarke glanced at Lexa again and this time she found Lexa looking back at her with tears in her eyes. Clarke shifted her gaze between Lexa’s eyes and looked at her hopefully. Lexa nodded her head slowly at Clarke acknowledging what Clarke was trying to silently tell her. For his sake, we do this for our son! Clarke smiled softly and nodded then turned back to watch Aden as he finally spoke his line.

 

~~

 

Forty five minutes later the play had ended and the audience were all standing up from their seats. The kids had been cute and surprisingly the only hiccup throughout it all had been when Aden had gone off script to wave at them.

As a group they made their way from their seats then exited the auditorium and walked out of the school to wait by the entrance for Aden.

“I have to go. I’ve got a Skype call scheduled with Monty and I can’t miss it, but say congrats to Aden for me please” Harper said as they gathered near the school’s entrance.

“Of course we will” Clarke replied while hugging Harper goodbye

“Thank you for coming and say hi to Monty from us” she added.

“Not to Finn?” Harper asked mischievously while stepping out of their hug.

Clarke noticed Lexa stiffen at Harper’s question, she scowled at her friend who was smiling cheekily back knowing what mentioning Finn would do.  

“No, thanks” Clarke replied while shaking her head.

“Ok, see you guys later” Harper said then quietly left while the others called out their goodbyes.

The others chatted away to each other about the play and how well Aden had done while Clarke slowly made her way over to Lexa who was standing a few steps away from the rest of them. Lexa stiffened as Clarke stood beside her but turned her head to look at Clarke.

Clarke looked deeply in to Lexa’s eyes and shook her head slightly from side to side; she didn’t notice how the rest of their family had paused their conversation to watch them.

“We’ve been selfish” Clarke stated quietly.

Lexa flared her nostrils and inhaled deeply then nodded once in agreement.

“His face when he saw us both here…” Clarke trailed off to clear the lump of emotion in her throat.

“I know, he looked so happy. I haven’t seen him smile like that in…” this time Lexa trailed off and averted her eyes.

“Three years” Clarke finished softly.

Lexa’s eyes snapped back to look in to Clarkes and she swallowed thickly.

“Yes” Lexa admitted chokingly.

Clarke sighed and nodded her head.

“I’m going to come to all of his school things from now on, Lexa. I miss enough of his life already with work” as soon as she said it, Clarke knew she had made a mistake.

Lexa’s posture immediately turned rigid and her jaw clenched so tightly, Clarke thought she was going to break her teeth.

“And I know that’s my own fault” Clarke sighed sadly

“That it’s my own choice” she admitted making Lexa frown suspiciously at her.

“But when I am home, I want to be there for him. I want him to look out at the crowd at every play and have him be as happy as he was tonight. I’m not saying we should be friends or anything, I know that would be asking for too much, but I hope we can be civil towards each other because I’m going to be here from now on at them all. I think it’s about time that we…” Clarke shot a pointed look at the engagement ring on Lexa’s left hand.

Lexa snapped her hand around her back away from Clarke’s view, like a guilty child being caught stealing a cookie.

“Moved on from the past” Clarke finished with an arched brow.

Clarke waited with bated breath for Lexa to reply, Lexa’s eyes shifted between her own and then she nodded.

“I guess we will be seeing a lot more of each other in the future” Lexa said quietly.

Clarke’s eyes shimmered with thanks and a half smile pulled at her mouth.

“Thank you” Clarke said.

Lexa shook her head and shrugged.

“It’s for Aden” she replied.

“Momma! Mom!” was shouted from the direction of the school’s entrance as Aden left the building and ran towards them.

Clarke spun on her heel and beamed as Aden flung his arms around her waist and looked up at her.

“I can’t believe you’re really here!” he exclaimed excitedly

“And that you kept it a secret from me!”

Aden turned his head to look at Lexa.

“Did you know, Momma?” he asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

Lexa smiled tenderly at Aden and nodded.

“I did” she admitted easing the boy’s fear then shot a quick glance at Clarke who smiled back.

“This is so cool!” Aden exclaimed excitedly as he uncurled his arms from around Clarke and launched himself in to Lexa’s arms.

Everyone chuckled at Aden’s glee; Clarke reached out her hand and stroked Aden’s hair softly.

“You were awesome up there, sweetie. I’m so proud of you” Clarke said.

Lexa frowned at Clarke and scrutinised her while Aden stepped out of their embrace and grinned at her.

“The best up there” Gustus added proudly.

As the others gave Aden their rave reviews on his acting and on the play, Aden switched between Clarke and Lexa clearly struggling with who he was meant to be with having been used to being with one of them at a time. When he was standing with one he stretched out his arm and held the hand of the other. Noticing his struggle, Clarke guided Aden to stand in between herself and Lexa then wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

“Ooo Miss Niylah is walking over here” Raven said leeringly.

“I swear to god, I’m going to dump your ass in a minute” Anya threatened jealously.

“Oh baby, jealousy will get you everywh…”

“Keep it P.G, Reyes” Clarke warned and noticed that Lexa was frowning at her again.

She was starting to feel annoyed by it, though she knew Lexa had every right to be suspicious of her where her parental role was concerned, but she didn’t like feeling like she was being judged as a mother. She had paid her dues and changed, and she was going to show Lexa that.

“Ms Griffin” Niylah practically purred as she joined their group.

“Miss Niylah” Raven answered for Clarke while Octavia muttered,

“Hot for teacher”.

Clarke rolled her eyes at her friends.

“Miss Niylah, look! My Momma and my Mom came tonight to watch me, see!” Aden said while pointing at Clarke and Lexa.

“I did notice” Niylah replied then looked at Clarke

“I thought the next function was your turn?” she asked.

“You know our attendance schedule by heart, Miss Niylah?” Lexa asked bitingly.

“Miss Niylah is very _hands on”_ Octavia muttered.

Lexa eyed Clarke and Niylah then slowly raised her chin seeming to understand what Octavia was hinting at. The atmosphere seemed to suddenly grow chilly.

 Clarke flushed red and raised her hand to push the strands of her wig behind her ear nervously. She had had a brief affair with Niylah the year before when Aden was in another class, she had met her after attending a parent/teacher meeting and for a few weeks they had a no strings, just for fun affair. Clarke had put a stop to it when she realised that Niylah was starting to develop feelings for her, they had separated amicably but Clarke knew that Niylah still harboured some feelings towards her.

“Well, I came over to say how wonderfully you did Aden! And to thank you for helping the others learn their lines” Niylah praised Aden who puffed out his chest in pride.

“You’re welcome” he replied cheerily.

“Time to go talk to the other parents, goodbye Ms Griffin” Niylah said to Clarke.

“Ms Woods” she added as she turned and walked away to join another family.

“Goodbye, Miss Niylah” Raven called after her.

Clarke looked guiltily towards Lexa and sighed when she saw that Lexa was judging her over her actions.

“Are we ready to get this show on the road? I’m starving” Octavia said.

Clarke frowned at her in confusion then looked around the group, not knowing what was happening. The others began to walk towards the car park and Clarke followed slowly behind them.

“Am I still riding with you, Momma or with Mom?” Aden asked Lexa.

The group suddenly stopped as one and turned to look at Clarke. Clarke watched as Lexa pulled in a deep breath and quickly glanced at her then back to Aden.

“Shit” Anya muttered.

“We’re going to dinner” Abby explained when she saw the perplexed expression on Clarke’s face.

“Oh” Clarke replied while shoving her hands in to the back pockets of her jeans, all of a sudden feeling vulnerable.

“Well, have fun and I guess I’ll…”

“You’re coming too, right?” Aden asked then looked up at Lexa and frowned

“Momma, Mom’s coming too right?” he asked again hopefully.

Clarke watched as Lexa swallowed thickly and her jaw ticked to the side as she looked down at Aden, the others shifted uncomfortably in their places. Deciding it would be better to bow out and make things less awkward, Clarke began to speak.

“Aden, I have to…”

“Of course” Lexa answered before Clarke could finish her sentence, stunning everyone around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you!! For all of your kudos, comments and hits. It really does mean a great deal to know that you are enjoying the fic.
> 
> LDPS, you're Dwayne Johnson in my life (I know you'll get it now :P )


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